[Photo/zj.zjol.com]

The Zhejiang delegation to the 13th National People's Congress said it was important to ensure their people's well-being as well as steady growth for companies at the moment, due to the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic on Zhejiang's economy and society.

Deputy Zhang Shifang, director of the department of economy and information technology of Ningbo, the major port and city in the province, said that Zhejiang was home to a number of small and medium-sized enterprises which had proved to be vulnerable to the epidemic.

On Feb 4, Ningbo launched 18 measures to help small and medium-sized enterprises recover from the outbreak.

Deputy Zhong Haiyan, head of the Jingning county in Lishui, said people's well-being was of vital importance to the sound development of the market and the economy.

"Financial institutions should also help companies resume operations," said Yin Xingshan, president of People's Bank of China Hangzhou Branch and a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.

The bank has launched many measures to help, including lowering lending rates and waiving financial services fees.

Deputy Zhang Tianren, president of Tianneng Group, said companies should try to seek opportunities from the crisis -- adding that he saw the potential of digital technologies during the epidemic and planned to invest 1 billion yuan ($140 million) building automated and eco-friendly production lines to enhance business performances.