BEIJING - Chinese President Hu Jintao on Friday called for efforts toward balanced, coordinated and sustainable development in the transformation of its economic growth pattern.

Hu made the remarks when joining a panel discussion on Premier Wen Jiabao's government work report with deputies to the National People's Congress, the top legislature, from the eastern province of Jiangsu.

Hu said efforts should be made to cultivate new pillar industries and industries with features and advantages, and achieve the coordinated development of the first, second and third industries.

He called for the establishment of a market-oriented technological innovation system, in which enterprises play the leading role and which combines the efforts of enterprises, learning and research institutes.

He said higher education and research institutes should play a more important role in scientific and technological innovation.

The president also stressed the coordination of industrialization, urbanization, and agricultural modernization, so that the agricultural sector could be boosted by the industrial sector, while the rural areas could benefit from the urban regions.

He said authorities should facilitate balanced allocation of public resources and the free flow of production factors between urban and rural areas.

Hu pointed out that China was currently facing both opportunities and challenges at the same time, but the opportunities outweighed challenges.

He urged officials in the Jiangsu Province to push forward independent innovation, promote urban-rural integration of economic and social development, and deepen the reform and opening-up drive.