Chinese Vice-Premier Wen Jiabao Tuesday called for concrete measures to be carried out in anti-drought projects and water conservancy projects for farm lands.
Wen, who is also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, said at a national television and telephone conference on anti-drought work and water conservancy for farm land Tuesday that shortage of water resources in China, especially China's north, has become a serious bottleneck to economic and social development.
China has suffered drought for several consecutive years. The country's northern part, in particular, suffered serious drought with 15.33 million hectares of agricultural crops and 600,000 square kilometers of pasture in serious shortage of water.
According to a forecast of Chinese specialists, the northern part is still likely to experience serious drought in 2004.
Wen urged treating anti-drought and water conservancy work as along-term task and asked governments at various levels to never cease efforts in this field.
(Xinhua News Agency December 4, 2002)
