Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao has called for more efforts to further the development of the Binhai New District of north China's Tianjin Municipality so that it might, in turn, play a bigger role in the development of the Bohai Bay rim area.

He said this during an inspection of the municipality, which sits on northern China's Bohai Sea, a few hours' drive from Beijing.

Located between northeast, north and east China, the Bohai Bay rim area is adjacent to Japan and the Republic of Korea.

"To enhance the development and opening of the district is an important step for the implementation of the area's and even the country's development strategy," Wen added.

He suggested that local governments seize current development opportunities and work hard to build the district into a modern one. North China boasts rich resources and is strategically located in the northeast Asia context.

Currently, he said, the district should develop in a scientific way. There has to be an appropriate balance between economic construction and social development, accelerated development and coordinated development, and current development and long-term development.

"The government attaches great importance to the opening and development of the district," he said, promising active cooperation from all related central government departments.