China will do its utmost to support e-commerce development and establish rules for online businesses to operate in a clear and fair manner, Premier Li Keqiang said on Thursday.

"The rapid development of China's e-commerce has greatly boosted consumption, beyond our expectations," he said at an Internet-themed meeting with global corporate leaders in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province.

The Internet has given the economy greater impetus for its development, Li said, noting that thousands of business startups, and job opportunities, have been driven by e-commerce.

China met this year's employment target in the third quarter, and an important reason for this achievement is that many small- and micro-sized businesses have been created and are flourishing due to the government's administrative reforms, he said.

These enterprises, in turn, have helped to boost online sales and facilitate logistics, a key sector of the market economy, he said.

Li pledged that the government will support e-commerce and cross-border e-commerce, as well as cloud computing despite possible concerns of more traditional industries, in order to boost jobs and increase incomes.

The Premier also said China will contribute to establishing rules for online businesses to operate in a safe and transparent environment.

The government will maintain Internet security and safeguard the legitimate interests of online companies, and crack down on illegal acts such as violations of intellectual property rights and privacy, Li said.