Chinese Vice Premier Zeng Peiyan on Tuesday called for tough measures to stem illegal land use.

The illegal way of obtaining land by developers has deeply hurt people's interests, and posed a threat to the country's sustainable and rapid economic development, said Zeng.

Zeng ordered governments at various levels to tighten the trading of land-use rights. He underscored the strict protection of arable land, adding that the use of land for construction should be strictly controlled.

The country should also step up the land legislation to provide more legal means for the land management, said the vice premier.

(Xinhua News Agency June 28, 2006)