国内英语新闻:Premier Li stresses promoting steady economic growth, improving people's livelihoods

HARBIN, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Premier Li Keqiang has underscored greater efforts in reform, opening-up and innovation to promote steady economic development and improve people's livelihoods.

Li, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks during his inspection tour in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province from Monday to Tuesday.

While visiting a rice-growing village in Mudanjiang city, the premier said the northeastern region should tap into its favorable conditions as one of the country's major grain producers, properly raise the level of scale operation and promote the use of large-scale agricultural machinery and tools to accelerate the modernization of agriculture.

He also visited a farm-produce market in Harbin, capital of Heilongjiang, where he stressed taking comprehensive measures to ensure vegetable supply and safety and stabilize prices.

Local officials briefed Li on the province's efforts to improve the skills of its workers, saying they plan to provide vocational training to one million people in the next three years.

Li underlined the importance of vocational training to China's industrial upgrades, noting that the country's more than 2,000 technical schools should expand enrollment to cultivate more skilled personnel to meet demand.

While visiting the new-economy park in Harbin that has drawn many technology startups, the premier said the key to the all-round revitalization of northeast China lies in reform, opening up and innovation and more should be done to improve the business environment and attract talented people to start businesses and innovate in the region.

He also called for promoting the vigorous development of small and medium-sized private businesses and the introduction of new growth drivers.

The premier also visited the Harbin Pharmaceutical Group, where he said pharmaceutical enterprises should work to ensure the production and supply of commonly used medicines, keep prices stable, ensure the quality of drugs and develop new drugs to meet the needs of the people.