Official data showed that China's CPI grew 1.7 percent year-on-year in October, the slowest pace since January 2010.
However, analysts have forecast the CPI will gradually pick up.
At the forum, Zhou urged the use of more market-based tools to maintain a "reasonable" social financing scale to avoid drastic ups and downs in economic expansion.
Noting the complications and challenges in macro-controls, Zhou called for deeper financial reforms and the creation of innovative tools to improve the effectiveness of monetary policies.
Regarding reforms in liberalizing exchange rates, Zhou said China will push forward this trend step by step.
Zhou also said China will seek a proper time to open its capital account.
Landmark building should respect the public's feeling