GUANGZHOU — Vice-Premier Hu Chunhua underscored building the country's state-level economic development zones as the new high ground of reform and opening-up.

Hu made the remarks at a meeting in Guangzhou on Nov 22.

Noting that the zones should play a bigger role in stabilizing foreign trade and investment, Hu urged greater efforts to promote high-level opening-up and attract investment in the zones.

The zones should actively respond to the concerns of foreign-invested enterprises, and build a fair, transparent and predictable investment environment, Hu said.

Efforts should be made to accelerate the development of new models and new forms of trade as well as services trade, the vice-premier said, adding that the zones should diversify markets.

Hu also stressed enhancing independent innovation capabilities, giving full play to the principal role of enterprises in innovation, and attracting more high-level research and development institutions and innovation teams into the zones.