Local Party committees and governments at different levels should seriously carry out what was talked about during the conference and adopt substantial measures, to continue consolidating and strengthening the fundamental status of agriculture, he noted.

His remarks were made during a study tour by the vice premier in Shaanxi Province, northwest China, from January 6-8. Wen visited local villages in Qishan and Fufeng counties and the Yangling Pilot Agricultural High-Technology Park, and he also held talks with experts from local agro-science institutes.

In his talks with local officials, Wen urged them to put the issue of agriculture and rural work on top agenda because the work is related to the whole situation of the Party and the state.

Greater efforts should be made to readjust the structure of farming and rural economy and increase farmers' income, through reforms and opening as well as technological progress, in order to ensure the country's grain safety and maintain social stability in the countryside, he said.

The vice premier urged local officials to be creative in doing their job by combining central policies with the reality in rural areas. Formalism must be opposed as it is detrimental to farmers' interests, he noted.

"We have learned many bitter lessons in the past and have paid a great price for it," he stressed.

(Xinhua 01/09/2001)