China's annual Central Economic Work Conference ended in Beijing on Saturday, laying down guidelines for the central government's economic work in 2004.

　　The conference underlined the general principles of comprehensive, coordinated and sustainable development with the people's interests as a top priority.

　　Communist Party of China's Central Committee General Secretary Hu Jintao and Premier of the State Council Wen Jiabao delivered speeches at the meeting.

　　According to the meeting, the economic work for 2004 should be carried out in line with the principles of maintaining a stable macro-economic policy while making appropriate readjustments, deepening reform, opening wider to the outside world and striving for coordinated development.

　　The meeting urged governments at all levels to focus on eight tasks over the next year:

　　￥Consolidate and strengthen the fundamental role of agriculture in the national economy, and increase farmers' income by all possible means.

　　￥Readjust and optimize the industrial structure for the promotion of coordinated development of regional economies.

　　￥Work hard to boost employment and the reemployment of laid-off workers, and improve the social security network.

　　￥Expand consumer demand and upgrade the living standards of both urban and rural residents.

　　￥Continue to implement a proactive financial policy and prudent monetary policy.

　　￥Accelerate the pace of economic restructuring and continue with efforts to rectify and standardize market order.

　　￥Open wider to the outside world for the promotion of foreign trade and the utilization of foreign investment.

　　￥Take the overall situationsintosconsideration for the advancement of social undertakings.

　　China will maintain continuity in its macro-economic policy to ensure steady economic growth in 2004, it was announced at the meeting.

　　The Chinese economy is in the upward phase of the economic cycle, and it is necessary to maintain the continuity and stability of its macro-economic policy to enhance confidence and stabilize the overall situation, those gathered at the forum said.

　　China will continue to stimulate its domestic demand and implement its proactive financial policy and prudent monetary policy in the new year while making timely and proper readjustments to policy priorities for steady economic growth.

　　Efforts will also be made to step up tax collection nationwide to increase revenues, while restructuring public expenditures, to ensure sufficient funds for key projects.

　　More public funds will be spent on agriculture and the rural economy, social development, development of the western regions and the revitalization of the old industrial bases in northeast China, according to officials.

　　The state will also increase financial support to several key sectors, including environmental protection, reemployment, social security and key state construction projects.