Premier Zhu Rongji urged officials at all levels to attach greater importance to product quality and ensure necessary funds for quality inspection.

In a written statement to the national meeting on product quality which has just ended, Zhu said that in China's crucial stage of economic development, quality improvement is extremely important.

"Without quality, there would be no economic benefits, and if shoddy and low-quality products were not effectively checked, the country would have no future," Zhu warned.

The meeting, which was convened by the State Council from November 4 to 5, focused on mapping out a plan to improve quality inspection.

At the meeting, Vice Premier Wu Bangguo said that the problem of product quality needs to be understood and dealt with from the overall strategy of economic development. "Quality First" must be implemented nationwide.

Wu called for the establishment of scientific and advanced quality standards, improving the building of metric checking systems and imposing strict quality inspections on products entering the market. He also urged enterprises to adopt strict quality standards in production and improve technical renovation to make sure that consumers' interests are fully guaranteed.

"While improving product quality, the campaign against shoddy and low-quality products must be carried out," Wu said, adding that the campaign must be as severe as cracking down on smuggling.