Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji has stressed the significance of a sustainable development strategy in China's ongoing effort to develop its vast but poor western areas.

Addressing the 3rd meeting of the Leading Group under the State Council for the Development of Western China Friday, the premier said top priority should be given to improving the ecology of the area and to environmental protection.

He called for more efforts to improve the infrastructure and promote scientific and educational undertakings in western China.

High-ranking officials at the meeting described the country's ongoing western development launched three years ago as going smoothly and having fruitful results in promoting social and economic development in the region.

The officials said China should prevent enterprises in the country's eastern regions from transferring their existing industrial facilities and polluting firms to the western region, and from excessive real estate development.

Maintaining an environmentally friendly construction program is a top priority for western China development, said the officials.

Reafforesting farmland not suited to farming is one of the country's major undertakings. It will improve the ecology of the region, and as a fundamental policy will have a great impact on future generations and the revival of China.

Meanwhile, they said, the program to protect the country's grassland from overgrazing should be put on the Chinese government's agenda.

They called for the restoring of the natural grassland and better management of water resources in western China.

Among those attending the meeting were Vice-Premier Wen Jiabao and State Councilor Wang Zhongyu, who is also secretary-general of the State Council.

(Xinhua News Agency October 14, 2002)