Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang on Tuesday urged local officials and enterprises to seize opportunities and persevere in reform and opening-up to achieve stable and fast economic growth.

Efforts should be made to foster new areas of economic growth so as to reach the goal of long-term steady and fast economic development, Li said during an inspection tour from Aug. 18-19 in Tianjin, a north China port city.

Li, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, visited local factories, construction sites, port, commercial and trade service zones and residential districts during his inspection tour.

He urged local officials to speed up efforts to build the Binhai New Area into a northern portal of the country's reform and opening up drive, a base of modern manufacturing and scientific research and application, and an international shipping and logistics center.

The Binhai New Area, a pilot reform zone, consists of the three administrative districts of Tanggu, Hangu and Dagang and eight industrial zones currently under construction.

Li stressed the importance of expanding domestic market demands in boosting economic development in an era of global economic uncertainty. He called for greater efforts to raise Chinese people' income through various channels and actively explore the rural consumption markets.

(Xinhua News Agency August 19, 2008)