Chinese President Hu Jintao (C, front) talks to deputies from southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region to the National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing, March 5, 2007. Hu Jintao attended the group discussion of the Tibetan deputies on the opening day of the Fifth Session of the Tenth NPC on Monday.

Wu Bangguo (1st, L), chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), talks to NPC deputies from east China's Anhui Province in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2007. Wu Bangguo joined in the panel discussion of Anhui delegation on the opening day of the Fifth Session of the Tenth NPC on Monday.(Xinhua Photo)   Hu: harmony, stability prerequisite for Tibet development

 

Beijing, March 6 - Chinese President Hu Jintao said Monday that to maintain a harmonious and stable society is a prerequisite for the development of Tibet and the well-being of all ethnic groups living there.

 

Emphasis should be laid on improving the living and working conditions of farmers and herdsmen, so that they can share the achievements of China's reform and development, said Hu while joining a panel discussion of Tibetan legislators at the ongoing annual session of the Tenth National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature.

 

The work concerning ethnic groups and religions must be done well, said Hu, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission.

 

"Development is the basis and key to tackle all the problems in Tibet," he said.

 

Hu said the Qinghai-Tibet railway that opened to traffic last July provides a historic opportunity for the development of Tibet." Such an opportunity must be seized well and made full use of," he said.

 

China's parliament chief calls for efforts to address people's top concerns

 

China's top legislator Wu Bangguo Monday urged governments and officials to address people's top concerns and meet their pressing demands in a bid to build a socialist harmonious society.

 

Wu, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), made the calls at a panel meeting of the top legislature which started its annual session Monday morning.

 

Governments and officials should do their utmost to help raise the income of rural people and ensure their access to safe drinking water, affordable medicare and schooling, Wu, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China's Central Committee, told the lawmakers from eastern Anhui Province.

 

Work should be done to make sure all the people can share the fruit of the country's economic growth, Wu said.

 

He said governments and officials should give special care to low-income and jobless urban residents, cover them under the social security net, and tackle the problem of unemployment.