Vice Premier Zeng Peiyan urged local authorities to strengthen and improve the macroeconomic control over the development of the property market, and take effective measures to provide accommodation to low-income urban families.

Zeng spoke recently at the work meetings of the Ministry of Construction, the Ministry of Information Industry and the Commission of Science Technology and Industry for National Defense in Beijing.

"We should make scientific plans and continue to improve the living standards and environments in both urban and rural areas," he noted.

He also called for deepening reform in postal and telecommunications system and underscored the importance of guaranteeing information security, expressing his hope for the development of the country's information industry.

Zeng hailed China's technical development marked by the launch of the country's first moon probe in 2007, and wished that more innovations could be made in 2008, which he said would help build the country's technical independence.

(Xinhua News Agency January 11, 2008)