Senior Chinese leader has urged Shanghai, the country's major economic hub, to use the global financial crisis as a driving force to pursue economic restructuring.

Shanghai should focus on developing equipment manufacturing, modern logistics, financial services, electronic commerce, culture innovations and capsulation, said Jia Qinglin, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), during his trip to Shanghai from December 19-21.

Shanghai should try to establish a new advantage in competition and make use of its advantage of having a strong power in science and technology, said Jia.

The city should center its economic growth on increasing domestic demands while trying every means to maintain a stable growth in export, the CPPCC leader said.

During his stay in the city, Jia visited an exhibition on the 2010 Shanghai World Expo and studied the construction of the expo zone, with company of Shanghai Party Chief Yu Zhengsheng and Shanghai Mayor Han Zheng. He urged the city to do a good job in preparations for the world expo.

He also visited several industrial development zones and research institutions, to see how local companies are operating with the impacts of the global financial crisis.

In talks with local officials, Jia attached priority to finding out ways to help the country's economy develop in a stable and relatively fast way, under the current complicated international and domestic situation.

"We must unify our thinking and action to the analysis and judgment of the Central Authorities as well as the arrangements made by the Central Authorities," said Jia, who is also a member of the Standing Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee Political Bureau.

Jia talked with company employees and ordinary citizens, inquiring into their life and listening to their complaints and demands. He called for a pro-active employment policy.

During his visit, the top political advisor visited leading officials of the Municipal Committee of the CPPCC, the Municipal United Front Department, and local branches of non-communist parties and the Municipal Federation of Industry and Commerce.

He urged them to play roles as "think tank" for the government and a channel to convey people's concern to the government.

(Xinhua News Agency December 22, 2008)