Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao went on a morale boosting tour in the northern port municipality of Tianjin, an industrial hub near Beijing, on Sunday and Monday.

Wen talked with textile workers, steel makers, tire manufacturers and students during the tour to see how the city is weathering the global financial crisis.

At the Tianjin Tianfang Investment Holding Co., a textile firm, company chairman Liu Baogen told Wen January sales increased 0.3 percent year on year and orders have been secured till March.

Wen said the textile industry is a pillar of China's economy. He offered three suggestions to the sector: Adjust the product structure according to domestic and overseas demand; increase corporate competitiveness by lifting product quality and reducing costs; explore sales in both the domestic and overseas markets.

The Premier also visited a watch maker, an auto molding company, the construction site of an ethylene and refinery project and an animation technology firm.

Wen told employees to explore the market and look for new opportunities against the ongoing global financial crisis.

He also went to see students at Nankai University, the most reputed college in Tianjin. He reassured them government agencies would do their best to find them jobs.

(Xinhua News Agency February 17, 2009)