Vice-Premier asks Shanghai to boost service industry

Chinese Vice-Premier Huang Ju Sunday asked Shanghai to give priority to development of the service industry to enhance its ability as a major city to serve

the Yangtze River Delta, the Yangtze River valley and the whole country.

"This is the historic responsibility of Shanghai in the new era, " Huang said when he joined lawmakers representing Shanghai in deliberating the government work report delivered by Premier Wen Jiabao Saturday.

Shanghai should make intensified efforts to development the service industry, especially the modern service trade, and give full play to its advantages in trade at port, financial service, science and technology, education, culture, talented professionals and market to serve the whole country, Huang said.

Huang said Shanghai should build itself into an international economic, financial, trade and navigation center and a modern international metropolis, and lead the other parts the country in building a fairly affluent society and reaching the goal of modernization.

"This is what the central government requires Shanghai to do and the hope of the people around the country place on the city," he said.

"Rapid and healthy development of Shanghai is of great significance to boosting reform and opening up and modernization of the whole country," Huang said.