China to press on with reforms: Premier Wen
(AFP)
Updated: 2006-03-14 18:34

Wen also acknowledged that masses of farmers were suffering injustices due to the illegal seizures of their land.

"We need to respect the democratic rights of the farmers, especially their right to independently operate their contracted land," Wen said.

On the environment, Wen admitted the government had failed to stop severe pollution and there was no easy solution.

"We are now faced with a very serious problem of environmental pollution; this is a major problem facing China's development," he said.

"To be honest with you, we failed to deliver on the targets concerning environmental protection."

Wen's press conference followed the end of the annual session of the National People's Congress or parliament, which sat for 10 days in Beijing.

China's leaders had made the plight of the 745 million rural people, who have seen most of the benefits of the nation's economic growth go to the cities, the main focus of the proceedings.

One of the main measures approved by the congress on Tuesday morning was a 14.2 percent rise in spending on the countryside.

China will now spend 42 billion dollars this year on rural development as part of what Wen characterized as a historic shift to build a "socialist countryside".