China's Premier Wen Jiabao delivers a speech at the opening ceremony of WEF meeting in Dalian
China's Premier Wen Jiabao delivers a speech at the opening ceremony of the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting of the New Champions in the northeastern port city of Dalian last Sept. 14. Wen is pressing Saudi Arabia to open its huge oil and gas resources to expanded Chinese investment, media reports said on Sunday against a backdrop of growing tension centered on Iran and worries over its crude exports to the Asian power. REUTERS

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao is still worried about high prices, according to a statement on the central Chinese government's website on Friday.

The prices now are high, and I can't be relaxed (about that), Wen said, while visiting households and shops in the northern Chinese port city of Dalian.

China has lifted interest rates five times and banks' required reserve ratio nine times since last November to fight inflation.

This has seen the headline figure ease to 6.2 percent in August from a three-year-high of 6.5 percent in July.

According to the statement on www.gov.cn, Wen said the government will continue to take measures to curb inflation, especially food prices.

China's food inflation, which was 13.4 percent in August, is the primary driver of overall price growth.

But Wen added that China has the necessary means to keep prices at reasonable levels. He said China would increase subsidies to rural households and food companies, although he did not elaborate on the monetary policy front.

(Reporting by Zhou Xin and Ben Blanchard)

China China Inflation