Chinese President Hu Jintao said here Saturday that the current international financial crisis, despite its severe impact on China's economy, also means an opportunity for the country.

China should take the opportunity to change its development pattern and realize structural adjustment so as to maintain a steady and relatively fast economic growth, Hu said when joining a panel discussion with deputies of the National People's Congress (NPC) from south China's Guangdong Province.

"Challenge and opportunity always come together. Under certain conditions, one could be transformed into the other," Hu said.

Hu said China should make full use of its advantages to break the bottlenecks of development. He also called for efforts to promptly and creatively implement the policies and plans of the central government to create conditions for solid and rapid development in the future.

(Xinhua News Agency March 7, 2009)