Speaking to some 3,000 delegates at Beijing’s Great Hall of the People, Mr Wen addressed land and military issues.
He talked of “property rights” for farmers and said China needed to be able to win “local wars”.
This is the last National People’s Congress before a leadership transition begins later this year.
The once-in-a-decade transfer of power will begin in October. Vice-President Xi Jinping is widely expected to take over the party leadership from President Hu Jintao.
Behind the scenes of this session senior officials will be jockeying for power, say correspondents, but the Communist party will be determined to keep any divisions within its ruling elite behind closed doors.
China’s leaders do not like to spring big surprises and Wen Jiabao’s speech was in line with that principle. His work report contained many expected details and pledges.
As usual, there was a raft of economic figures – China will aim for economic growth of 7.5% this year, slightly lower than in previous years.
This reflects the fact that the world economy is struggling, and that China needs to change the way it does business.
But there were a few items in the speech that could raise eyebrows. Mr Wen said the main task of the country’s growing military is “to win local wars” – words that will be keenly studied in the capitals of China’s neighbours.
The premier also spoke of Chinese farmers having “property rights” and “land ownership”.
China also set its inflation target at 4% and pledged to create nine million new jobs in towns and cities.