Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao stressed the need to control land usage Tuesday and approved a series of labor and social security regulations for the 11th Five Year Plan from 2006 to 2010.

He made the remarks at the State Council meeting held here, insisting that regions pay more attention to land coverage, energy consumption and pollution.

Wen cited continuing problems in land management, such as the allocation of too much for construction purposes, illegal land use, and abuse of farming land. He stated that more concrete measures should be adopted to control land usage, including reinforcing the legal system, adjusting profitability mechanisms and developing accountability.

He also said it is the government's duty to promote employment and social security. From 2006 to 2010, China will create 45 million jobs in urban areas, reemploy 45 million laborers in rural areas and endeavor to restrict the urban unemployment rate to five percent.

(Xinhua News Agency July 28, 2006)