Jia Qinglin, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, the country's top political advisory body, called on the country's private enterprises to play an active role in economic growth.

Jia, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, said the private sector should step up efforts on the development mode shift and optimize product structures during a research tour in the eastern Zhejiang Province from November 7 to 10.

He told non-public companies to make full use of the opportunity of the government's decision to boost domestic consumption in the coming years.

The government on Sunday announced it would launch a stimulus package estimated at 4 trillion yuan ($570 billion) to be spent over the next two years to finance programs in 10 major areas, such as low-income housing, rural infrastructure, water, electricity, transport, the environment and technological innovation.

Jia said over the past three decades the private sector had made important contributions to China's economic development, technology innovation, job creation and other areas.

He added that they should enhance innovation capabilities and sharpen competitive edges to better cope with adverse global economic conditions.

He urged on local governments to earnestly implement favorable policies for private companies, help enhance their risk management capabilities and create a sound development environment for them.

(Xinhua News Agency November 11, 2008)