China's State Council, or Cabinet, on Thursday appointed eight new members to its Counselors' Office and five new members to the Central Research Institute of Culture and History (CRICH).

Premier Wen Jiabao conferred the appointments, pledging that the government would create conditions to encourage the members of the Counselors' Office and the CRICH to be honest as an advisory organ and an academic research agency, respectively, under the State Council.

"The counselors and researchers could play an important role in the country's scientific and democratic decision-making process," Wen said.

The Premier urged them to make more efforts in policy research on major issues regarding China's economic and social progress, while focusing on scientific development and transforming the mode of economic development.

Wen also hoped the counselors and researchers would study how to solve the problems of unfair income distribution and unbalanced development between urban and rural areas and different regions.

Deepening reforms of the economic and political systems should also be put on the research agenda, Wen noted.

Wen suggested that counselors and researchers do more to investigate the situation at the grassroots level, and offer factual and valuable advice for the government to solve existing problems and difficulties.

The newly-appointed members mostly come from educational institutions, government departments and research institutes.

Currently, there are 57 counselors in the office. The CRICH has 55 members.