A senior Chinese leader on Thursday stressed the importance of labor and social security work, saying it plays an important role in building a harmonious society.

"Last year saw a big progress in promoting rural migrant workers' living standards and the implementation of employment policies," said Chinese State Councilor Hua Jianmin at Thursday's national conference.

Hua said governments at all levels should focus on employment work, extend the coverage of employment insurance, strengthen the training of farmers who have been victims of land grabs and improve the medical insurance of urban residents.

He emphasized that regulation of social security funds should be further enhanced, adding efforts should be made to address any delayed payment of migrant workers' wages. He called for a minimum wage system to protect migrant workers' interests.

(Xinhua News Agency January 19, 2007)