(News from Qingdao Daily) In the government work report, Xia Geng emphasized that the development of Qingdao is facing with unprecedented challenge but great opportunities also hidden in the challenges.

    The mayor pointed out that at present, the world financial crisis is spreading, the international economic environment continues to deteriorate and the unstable and uncertainty elements of the world economy and emergency risk are clearly enlarged. As a coastal and open-up city, the situation Qingdao is facing becomes more serious and complex. We shall keep sober minds, strengthen our confidence, make progress against the difficulties and take more powerful measures and policies in a proper time. We shall put the expansion of investment and consumption as the 2 main approaches of keeping the development momentum, spur stable and fast development of the economy; the employment stabilization and safeguarding the basic living of the people in difficulties are our main obligation, we shall spare no effort to improving the living standard of people in urban and rural areas; we shall make keeping stable finance and taxation income increase as our main task, squeeze general expenditure, guaranteeing the statutory increase, the people's livelihood and construction of key projects with all of our strength.

    Xia pointed out that China is still in the important period of strategic opportunity, the basis of the economic and social development and the long-term trend are not changed; after 30 years development since the reform and opening-up, our capacity to defend against and cope with crisis are greatly strengthened; the 7-year preparation and the successful hosting of the Olympic Sailing Regatta and Paralympics Sailing Regatta greatly enhances the influence and competitiveness of Qingdao and the development environment is also distinctly improved. We must grasp the present favorable opportunities, deregulate our minds and forge ahead and accelerate the construction of basic infrastructure, we shall make some progress in the transformation of development mode, make clear achievements in the reform and restructure of enterprises and technical upgrade, we shall take the leading role in the utilization of the international and domestic markets and resources, we shall take the lead and make breakthrough in increasing the governance efficiency and establishing frugal government organs laying a solid foundation of building Qingdao into a prosperous, civilized and harmonious modern international city and making positive contribution to the construction of Shandong Province into an economic and cultural powerful province.