Vice-Premier Zeng
Peiyan urged Monday local governments to ensure that project
owners pay their building contractors and, in turn, the contractors
pay their workers.
Zeng said this while visiting the Ministry of Construction. During
his visit, the vice premier heard a report on the issue by Minister
Wang Guangtao, who said that the ministry has made great efforts
and achievements in this regard.
Local governments have tried to deal with the issue, especially in
the past month, to enable the rural laborers to return home with
money for family reunion during the
Chinese Lunar New Year holiday, the minister said.
In his speech, Zeng said that the issue has a bearing on the
fundamental interests of the people as well as the general
situation of macro-economic control and the country's economic
development.
He urged all departments and localities involved to meet the
goal set by the State Council to clear up all the delayed payments
within three years.
(Xinhua News Agency February 8, 2005)