Chinese Vice Premier Zeng Peiyan urged local governments to promote coordinated development between city and countryside in his study tour of southwestern China's Chongqing Municipality and Sichuan and Guizhou provinces from April 4 to 8.

Zeng spoke with experts and provincial officials, stressing that local governments should give priority to boosting agriculture, improving farmers' income and addressing rural issues.

Zeng also expressed concern about environmental protection, stressing that it is of vital importance to protect environment while developing economy.

In the Development of China's Western Regions program launched in the late 1990s to boost the economy of the country's west, local governments should vigorously develop tourism and high-tech industries, but give up power-consuming industries and high polluted industries, he said.

He urged local governments to treat river pollution as soon as possible and let cultivated land revert to its natural state.

Zeng instructed local governments to frame city development plans by holding public hearings, soliciting opinions from experts and curbing land allocation for excessive construction.

(Xinhua News Agency April 11, 2005)