Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao has called for the acceleration of an economic zone on the western side of the Taiwan Strait, in order to boost social and economic development in the region and combat the global economic downturn.

　　In a three-day visit to the southeastern province of Fujian from Friday, Wen said the economic zone, centered on Fujian and facing Taiwan Island across the strait, had been long planned by the central government.

　　Such an economic zone could make use of the currently peaceful ties across the Taiwan Strait to forge stronger economic cooperation for mutual benefits and development, and help tackle the challenges posed by the global financial crisis, Wen said.

　　It would also contribute to the ignition of a new growth engine in China by capitalizing on Fujian's comparative advantages, and to the long-term development plan of the country, he said.

　　During his inspection of nine companies in Fuzhou, Quanzhou, and Xiamen, all in Fujian, Wen stressed that creativity was at the core of the development of the economic zone on the western side of the strait.

　　"Creativity is key to our strength building, to gaining advantages and development, and to retaining our honor," Wen said.

　　He urged labor-intensive industries to become technology-intensive, adding that information technology and environmental industries were the focuses of economic competition that merited vigorous development