Jia Qinglin, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), urged all localities to attach great importance to the dual tasks of SARS-control and maintaining steady economic development.

During his inspection tour of north China's Hebei Province from May 11 to 14, Jia also urged the patriotic united front to provide strong support to efforts in the two fields.

Accompanied by local officials, Jia inspected hospitals, quarantine departments, urban communities, government organizations, schools, enterprises and rural areas in the province and exchanged views with local officials and people.

Inspecting SARS-control work in Zhuozhou City, which borders the southern part of Beijing, Jia said Hebei surrounds Beijing on all sides and constitutes the capital city's "moat" and "protection forest belt".

He urged the province to attach great importance to doing a good job on SARS-control, saying it will affect the overall SARS-control situation in Beijing and the whole country.

In talks with personnel of democratic parties and federations of industry and commerce and those without party affiliation, Jia said the united front could contribute to the nation's SARS-control and economic development in a number of ways.

He said the front could play a coordinating role, helping to mobilize social resources to work for the fulfillment of the two tasks, and to honestly report new developments in society to the Communist Party of China and the government.

(Xinhua News Agency May 16, 2003)