Premier Wen Jiabao expects China's gross domestic product to grow 8 percent and  consumer prices to climb about 3 percent this year, he said in the government work report to the opening session of the National People's Congress in Beijing on Mar.5. He also stated in the report that China plans to keep the urban registered unemployment no higher than 4.6 percent with 9 million new jobs created in urban areas and improve the status of the balance of payments.

China should emphasize sound economic development and accelerate the transformation of the pattern of economic development, Wen said when addressing the target of 8 percent growth in gross domestic product. Referring to the consumer prices, he also said that the expectation is based on the last year's tail-raising factor, the effects of international commodity prices changing and domestic credit increase, as well as the people’s affordability, and it also spares room for environmental taxes and charges and reform on resource prices.