Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao has called for adherence to the reform and opening-up policy and rejection of regression and stagnation while making a study tour in Shenzhen, the country's first special economic zone (SEZ), on Friday and Saturday.

Regression and stagnation will not only end the achievements of the three-decade old reform and opening-up drive and the rare opportunity of development, but also suffocate the vitality of China's socialist cause with her own characteristics, and furthermore, doing so is against the will of the people, said the premier.

China's development and changes over the past over 30 years have relied on reform and opening-up, Wen noted, adding that the realization of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation will rely on reforming and opening-up.

He spoke highly of the success of Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, which became a SEZ in 1980.

The success of Shenzhen proves the decision to adopt the reform and opening-up policy was a crucial choice for modern China and that reforming and opening up to the outside world is the only road to achieving national prosperity and the people's happiness, the premier said.

During his stay in Shenzhen, Wen visited some local enterprises, research institutions, ports and communities in the company of the Guangdong Party chief, Wang Yang.

The premier focused on such issues as how to accelerate the reform of China's economic development model.

On Friday evening, he presided over a conference to hear work reports from local officials.

In a speech, Wen said Shenzhen has not only changed itself greatly, but also made an important contribution to the reform and development of the whole nation.

The premier pledged to continuously develop Shenzhen as a SEZ and "do an even better job" in this regard.

"Innovation must continue to be the soul and life of a SEZ," he stressed.

Wen also said that China should push forward not only economic restructuring but also political restructuring. Without the safeguarding of political restructuring, China may lose what it has already achieved through economic restructuring and the targets of its modernization drive might not be reached.

Wen said people's democratic rights and legitimate rights must be guaranteed. People should be mobilized and organized to deal with, in accordance with the law, state, economic, social and cultural affairs, the premier said.

He said the problem of over-concentration of power with ineffective supervision should be solved by improving institutions. He demanded the creation of conditions to allow the people to criticize and supervise the government.

Wen pledged to build a fair and just Chinese society, and in particular, to ensure judicial justice.

(Xinhua News Agency August 21, 2010)