Text of Chinese president's May 2004 speech on sustainable development.

(From BBC Monitoring International Reports)

Chinese Communist Party journal Qiushi has published a speech given by Chinese President Hu Jintao in May 2004 on sustainable development. Hu said problems affecting farmers and agriculture must remain the priority, but also called for further improvements in industry and companies. Hu also called for overheating in certain industries to be curbed, stricter environmental protection and resource use. Hu also stressed that officials must follow the government's policies on macro-economic control, improve employment and social security, and protect citizens' rights. The following is the text of the speech by Hu Jintao entitled: "Let the scientific concept of development run through the entire process of development (5 May 2004)", published by Chinese magazine Qiushi (Seeking Truth) web site on 1 January; subheadings as carried

Our country's reform and development are now in a critical period. How to continually advance the process of comprehensive construction of a well-off society in accordance with the requirements raised by the 16th Chinese Communist Party [CCP] Congress and the third plenum of the 16th CCP Central Committee and in view of the demands of the new situation and new tasks, so as to create a new situation of socialism with Chinese characteristics, is an important issue that we must consider in an in-depth manner and work earnestly to do a good job of pursuing. Our country's per capita GDP exceeded 1,000 dollars last year, thus reaching an important level. As demonstrated by the processes of development of some countries and areas, economic and social development will enter a critical stage after per capita GDP exceeds 1,000 dollars. With regard to this stage, there have been both successful experiences of advancing rapid economic development and steady social progress through appropriate measures and failure lessons of suffering from economic stagnation and prolonged social turmoil because of mistakes. From an overall perspective, it is mainly based on the following several points that our country's reform and development are said to be in a critical period: competition in comprehensive national capability is becoming increasingly fierce and the external environment is becoming increasingly complex and changeable; in our country, the processes of industrialization and urbanization are accelerating and economic structural adjustments are also accelerating, with large amounts of surplus rural labour force being transferred to the non-agricultural spheres; the degree of marketization of the economy is rapidly increasing, and deepening reforms are further touching deep-level contradictions and problems, with system innovation entering a stronghold-storming stage; with uneven development across the regions and uneven economic and social development, the task of reducing regional development disparities and advancing coordinated economic and social development is arduous; with growing foreign dependence of the economy of our country, the world economy's impact on development of our country is obviously deepening; with the continual growth and increasing diversity of material and cultural needs of the masses of the people and growing diversity and complexity of social interest relationships, it is becoming increasingly difficult to take care of interests of all elements; continually enhancing democracy and law consciousness of the masses of the people and the continually rising enthusiasm of the masses of the people for political participation have raised new requirements on the development of socialist democratic politics and the implementation of the basic strategy of governing the country according to law; and influence of various ideas and concepts on people is exerted through obviously more channels and is obviously deeper, and the independence, choice, changeability, and variety of activities of thinking have become obviously stronger. In short, this period is characterized by both tremendous development potential and various difficulties and risks as well as both rare opportunities and tough challenges. Whether we can seize the new opportunities, resolve new problems, and achieve new development will be a major test of our party's governing capability and our nation's cohesion and creativity. Comrades of the entire party, especially leading cadres at all levels, must enhance a sense of anxiety, think of times of danger in times of peace, boldly shoulder the historical mission, and lead the people in continually advancing the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

To resolve China's issue of development and achieve faster and better development, it is necessary to firmly establish and implement the scientific concept of development. This is an important strategic idea put forward by us under the guidance of Deng Xiaoping Theory and the important thinking of the "Three Representations" [Chinese: san ge dai biao; on the importance of the Communist Party in modernizing the nation representing the demands for the development of advanced social productive forces, the direction of advanced culture, and the fundamental interests of the greatest majority of the people] and on the basis of considering the overall situation of development of our country in the new century and the new stage. The scientific concept of development represents a summing up of successful experience of reform, opening up, and modernization construction of our country over the past 20 years, reveals objective laws of economic and social development, and reflects our party's new understanding of the issue of development. The scientific concept of development is of great guidance significance to reform, opening up, and modernization construction in their entirety. Only by doing a good job of implementing the scientific concept of development will it be possible to ensure being the first to comprehensively build a well-off society and to achieve modernization. We must more consciously and firmly implement the scientific concept of development, proceed on the basis of realities, correctly handle the relationship between centring on economic construction and pursuing comprehensive construction, the relationship between accelerated development and coordinated development, and the relationship between current development and sustainable development, and make the scientific concept of development run through the entire process and all aspects of development, advancing faster and better development in all areas.

I. Persist in consolidating agriculture's position as the base and work vigorously to resolve agricultural, rural, peasant problems

Agricultural, rural, and peasant problems are always a fundamental issue bearing on the overall situation of work of the …