Chinese vice premier Zeng Peiyan on Sunday called for greater efforts to rejuvenate the old industrial bases in the country's northeast.

Northeast China should make unremitting efforts to optimize the economic structure and develop the manufacturing industry, said Zeng, during his inspection tour of the provinces of Heilongjiang and Liaoning

Zeng urged major manufacturers in the region to make breakthroughs in developing and producing power plant equipment, numerical-control machine tools, heavy-duty machines and environmental protection facilities.

The vice premier also stressed further development of the electronics, information, biological and pharmaceutical industries.

Northeast China, with a vast territory, rich resources and a solid industrial foundation, would have bright prospects by improving the efficiency of its economic growth and boosting economic and technical cooperation with neighboring countries, said Zeng.

The region should also "do a good job in saving energy, reducing green house gas emissions and protecting the environment in order to boost overall, balanced and sustainable economic and social development."

When inspecting the regions of the Greater and Lesser Hinggan Mountains, Zeng said the forests, water sources and wetland should be well protected, and restrictions should be imposed on sectors that consumed a lot of energy and discharged a lot of pollutants.

Water treatment facilities should be improved along the Heilongjiang and Songhua rivers to ensure safe drinking water, said Zeng.

(Xinhua News Agency August 20, 2007)