Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao is ruling out plans to allow more democracy in China's near future because he says the country must focus first on economic development.
In a speech published by China's state-run media Tuesday, Mr. Wen said that China will remain in the primary state of socialism for a long time.
Mr. Wen did say, however, that China would develop its own democratic policies, and that a socialist system is not contradictory to those policies.
China's annual parliamentary session is to open next week, with economic reform and social issues expected to be a core focus.
China's economy has grown tremendously in recent years. But leaders of China's one-party system have carried out only limited democratic and political reforms.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP and AP.
