Shanghai Mayor Han Zheng said Pudong District must go all out to conduct comprehensive reforms to ensure the success of its future development. He was speaking in a group discussion with delegates from the district at the Ninth Shanghai Congress of the Communist Party of China on May 25.

"Pudong should have a better starting point in Shanghai's future development and can pioneer a way for the city to have new mechanism for government management," said Han.

He ordered Pudong to make breakthrough in three fields: 1) change government functions, innovate government management and promote resource integration; 2) change economic growth methods and adopt international standards; 3) change the dual economic and social structures of urban and rural areas, and eliminate urban-rural differences in areas such as employment and social security.

Also yesterday, Han joined the group discussion of delegates from the local financial sector. Han said Shanghai would soon set up a special office to promote the progress towards achieving global financial center status. He said a good climate would be created to attract more financial specialists and agencies.

Han said the Ninth Shanghai Party Congress had clarified the city's goals over the next five years. To achieve them, Shanghai must change its economic growth method, encourage innovation, advance the policy of opening up to the world and create a socialist harmonious society.

(Source: www.shanghai.gov.cn )