"Harmony" has become more or less the catch word in Chinese society in the Year 2005, as suggested by the government work report delivered by Premier Wen Jiabao at this year's annual session of China's top legislature Saturday morning.

In his government work report at the opening meeting of the Third Session of the Tenth National People's Congress (NPC), Wen said his government will "strive to solve outstanding problems vital to the immediate interests of the people, safeguard social stability and build a harmonious socialist society".

Sustained reforms and opening-up over the past two and a half decades have resulted in prosperity for many Chinese citizens, but social problems such as corruption, an income gap between interior areas and coastal regions as well as between urban and rural population, unemployment, poverty, poor production safety and pollution are among the top concerns of the country's vast commoner stratum.

Against a backdrop of varied problems and conflicts, Chinese leaders have on many occasions voiced their concerns about "balancing the interests between different social groups, avoiding conflicts and making sure people live a safe and happy life in a politically stable country".

"The government has begun to pay more attention to what economic growth means to social development," said Qiu Dong, a professor with the Central University of Finance and Economics and a deputy to the NPC.

A harmonious society features democracy, the rule of law, equity, justice, sincerity, amity and vitality. It gives full scope to people's talent and creativity, enables all the people to share the social wealth brought by reform and development, and forges an ever closer relationship between the people and their government, according to a definition set forth by Chinese President Hu Jintao previously.

"These things will result in enduring stability and unity," said Hu, also general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC).

"The pursuit of harmony will largely decide China's future political, economic, social and cultural moves," said Xiao Zhuoji, an economist from Beijing University and also a member of China's top advisory body.

In his Saturday's work report, the Chinese Premier also suggested more thorough efforts to serve the "harmony" drive.

In 2005, 10.9 billion yuan (1.3 billion US dollars) will be allocated from the central budget to help reemployment projects, 2.6 billion yuan (316.7 million US dollars) more than the last year.

"Local budgets will also increase allocations for these projects," said Wen.

While addressing China's chronical coal mine safety problems, the Chinese Premier vowed 3 billion yuan (365 million US dollars) to be spent in 2005 to "help state-owned collieries upgrade their safety technologies".

During the past five months, China has encountered a number of fatal coal mine accidents and the industry was smeared with the blood of hundreds of miners.

"We should draw on the bitter lessons paid in blood that these tragedies have taught," said Wen.

The Premier also pledged to continue reforming the income distribution system, another top concern of the general public, as indicated by many online polls conducted before this year's CPPCC and NPC sessions.

To tackle the widespread discontent with graft and corruption, the government will continue to "increase transparency of the government work and boost popular confidence in government".

"Whatever work the government should do, it should do well," said the Premier, "We will handle conflicts among the people correctly".