Political reform

The premier said China needs not only economic reform but also political reform, especially the reform of the leadership system of the Party and government.

Tragedies like the Cultural Revolution may happen to China again if the country failed to push political reform to uproot problems occuring in the society, he added.

The country risks losing the results of the reform and opening up over the past three decades without further reforms, as new problems such as unfair income distribution, lack of integrity and corruption, have not been resolved.

"Now reforms in China have come to a critical stage," Wen said, warning: "without a successful political reform, it's impossible for China to fully institute economic reform and the gains we have made in these areas may be lost, and new problems that popped up in the Chinese society will not be fundamentally resolved, and such historical tragedies as the Cultural Revolution may happen again in China."

He noted although after the crackdown on the Gang of Four, the Party adopted resolutions on many historical matters, and decided to conduct reforms and opening-up, the mistake of the Cultural Revolution and feudalism have yet to be fully eliminated.

"The reform can only go forward and must not stand still, less go backwards because that offers no way out."

Wen said he had addressed the topic of political structural reform in China on many occasions in recent years, giving his views on the topic in full and in details.

He said his long interest in political reforms comes from "a strong sense of responsibility."

As the economy continues to develop, Wen said, such problems as income disparity, lack of credibility and corruption, have occurred. "I'm fully aware that to resolve these problems, we must press ahead with both economic structural reforms and political structural reforms , in particular reforms on the leadership system of the Party and the country," he said.

The premier said he believed any member of the Party and government officials with a sense of responsibility must fully recognize that further reform is "an urgent task" for China.

"I know very well that the reform will not be an easy one and the reform will not be able to succeed without the consciousness, the support, the enthusiasm and creativity of our people," Wen said.

To conduct such reforms in a big country with 1.3 billion population, Wen noted, people must always bear in mind China's national circumstances and develop the socialist democracy in a step-by-step manner.

The premier said he knows the people take an interest in not only what he has to say and what his ideas are, but also what results his efforts can bring.

"Even with a single breath, I'm still prepared to dedicate myself fully to advancing China's reform and opening-up cause," Wen said.