President Hu Jintao's call for accelerated social security reforms in both urban and rural areas demand the full attention of all departments in charge of building a better social safety net.

If the country is to create a development opportunity out of the current economic crisis, the policymakers concerned must speed up their efforts to overhaul the social security system in line with people's increasing needs.

Since the global financial and economic crisis hit the country's exports hard late last year, the Chinese authorities have recognized the necessity to move away from reliance on export and investment for growth. And, to boost domestic consumption as a key growth engine, a national consensus has been developed on a more universal, flexible and efficient social security net to cushion people against hard times.