Chinese President Xi Jinping joins a group deliberation of deputies from Shanghai to the annual session of the National People's Congress in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua]

BEIJING - President Xi Jinping stressed supply-side structural reform Saturday when he joined a meeting of deputies from Shanghai, who were deliberating the government's work report, at the ongoing annual session of the National People's Congress.

Shanghai should use its courageous, pioneering spirit and youthful vigor to be innovative in the way it advances reform, Xi said, calling on the city to serve as a "pioneer" in this regard.

Xi asked the region to accelerate measures that will help it establish itself as a globally influential center for technology and innovation.

The eastern coastal city, the country's finance and trade center, is home to China's first-ever free trade zone and has been used by policymakers as a testing ground for new policies, such as the negative list for foreign capital management, which defined sectors in which foreign entities could invest.

Xi also spoke about China's innovative, coordinated, green, open and sharing developmental philosophy.