ON DECEMBER 16, 2008, CHINESE PREMIER WEN JIABAO MET IN ZIGUANGGE, ZHONGNANHAI WITH PRESIDENT ROBERT ZOELLICK OF THE WORLD BANK (WB).

WEN SAID THAT THE WORLD BANK IS THE BIGGEST FINANCIAL INSTITUTION IN THE FIELD OF GLOBAL DEVELOPMENT, WHILE CHINA REMAINS THE LARGEST DEVELOPING COUNTRY. THE COOPERATION BETWEEN BOTH SIDES IS OF GREAT SIGNIFICANCE TO THE WORLD ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT.

WEN BRIEFED THE WB PRESIDENT ABOUT CHINA'S ECONOMIC SITUATION AND ITS MEASURES TO ADDRESS THE GLOBAL FINANCIAL CRISIS. WEN SAID CHINA, WITH A 1.3-BILLION POPULATION, HAS YET TO OVERCOME THE DISPARITY BETWEEN URBAN AND RURAL AREAS, RELATIVELY LOW PER CAPITA INCOMES AND A RELATIVELY LARGE NUMBER OF POVERTY-STRICKEN PEOPLE. WEN SAID CHINA'S MOVE TO EXPAND DOMESTIC DEMAND IS AIMED TO GRADUALLY MEET THE PEOPLE'S DEMANDS THROUGH ECONOMIC GROWTH, WHICH WILL BE ACHIEVED BY STIMULATING THE ULTIMATE CONSUMPTION MARKET. TO MEET THIS END, WEN SAID CHINA WILL FOCUS ON IMPROVING INCOMES OF RURAL RESIDENTS AND SOCIAL SECURITY FOR LOW-INCOME GROUPS. HE SAID CHINA WILL STRIVE TO EXPAND EMPLOYMENT. IT WILL ALSO WORK ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF SUCH SOCIAL CAUSES AS EDUCATION, MEDICAL SERVICE AND CULTURE. WEN SAID CHINA WILL SPEED UP THE CONSTRUCTION OF A HOUSING SECURITY SYSTEM AND ADVANCE DEVELOPMENT OF INFRASTRUCTURE IN RURAL AREAS, INCLUDING DRINKING WATER, BIO-GAS, ROADS, ELECTRICITY AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS. HE SAID CHINA WILL CONTINUE TO PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT, WHILE WORKING ON THE RECONSTRUCTION OF EARTHQUAKE-STRICKEN AREAS AND POVERTY ALLEVIATION.

ZOELLICK SAID CHINA HAS SCORED GREAT ACHIEVEMENTS IN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT AND POVERTY ELIMINATION. THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT AND PEOPLE SHOWED ADMIRABLE SOLIDARITY AND COURAGE IN FIGHTING AGAINST THE QUAKE DISASTER. AS A CLOSE COOPERATIVE PARTNER OF CHINA, THE WORLD BANK WILL CONTINUE TO HELP CHINA WITH ITS REHABILITATION AND RECONSTRUCTION OF THE QUAKE-HIT AREAS. THE WORLD BANK SUPPORTS CHINA'S DEVELOPMENT AND HOPES TO COOPERATE WITH IT IN THE AREA OF INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT.

ZOELLICK BRIEFED ON HIS VIEWS ON THE CURRENT GLOBAL FINANCIAL CRISIS, AS WELL AS THE WORLD BANK'S EFFORTS IN THIS REGARD. HE SAID THE CURRENT GLOBAL FINANCIAL CRISIS CALLS FOR CLOSER COOPERATION AND COORDINATED ACTION AMONG THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY. HE SAID THE WORLD BANK WILL CONTINUE TO PLAY A ROLE IN HELPING CHINA OVERCOME DIFFICULTIES IN FINANCING AND EMPLOYMENT. ZOELLICK APPRECIATED THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT'S MEASURES TO EXPAND DOMESTIC DEMAND. HE SAID SUSTAINING ITS OWN ECONOMY WILL BE CHINA'S BIGGEST CONTRIBUTION TO MAINTAINING FINANCIAL STABILITY AND THE ECONOMIC GROWTH OF THE WORLD.

FOREIGN MINISTER YANG JIECHI AND MINISTER OF FINANCE XIE XUREN ATTENDED THE MEETING.