China's Heavy-Industry Center Urged to Transform Development Pattern

CHANGCHUN, Apr. 19 -- China's top legislator Wu Bangguo has urged Jilin province in Northeast China, traditionally a heavy-industry center, to speed up transformation of its development pattern.

Wu, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), visited car and train producers and petrochemical factories during his five-day visit to Jilin that finished Friday.

He urged the companies to push forward technical innovation and research on green energy products and energy efficiency and to adopt eco-friendly production methods.

He hopes the companies will transform themselves into corporations of international influence and competitiveness and boost the local economy.

Wu also visited a local research institute and two universities.

To transform the economic growth pattern and restructure its industry, the province needs to improve research and education and train more talents, he said.

In the past few years, farm produce processing has boomed in Jilin.

After inspecting a local agricultural firm, Wu said the province can increase the added value of its farm produce to increase farmers' income.

The local governments should improve infrastructure and speed up the urbanization process, Wu added.