Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Dejiang urged local governments to make every effort to promote employment and industrial growth, saying they were the keys to ensuring economic growth.

The local government should make it a priority to secure and expand job opportunities, which is critical to maintaining social stability, Zhang noted when he paid an inspection tour to central Henan Province between Feb. 25 and 28.

He urged local governments to implement policies on stimulating domestic demand and boosting economic growth.

He encouraged enterprises to readjust industrial structure, expand domestic and overseas markets, speed up innovation and technological upgrading and improve management.

Affected by the global financial crisis, the Chinese economy slowed to 6.8 percent in the fourth quarter, the worst in seven years.

(Xinhua News Agency February 28, 2009)