China's Vice-Premier Li Lanqing urged March 6 government officials to study earnestly advice and suggestions proposed by deputies to the Ninth National People's Congress, in session here since Sunday.

Li did this when discussing with deputies from southwest China's Sichuan Province the government work report delivered by Premier Zhu Rongji Sunday. The deputies are meeting in Beijing for an 11-day annual session to blueprint the nation's development strategy for the year 2000.

In the discussion, the vice premier also talked about developing the vast western areas and the strategy of invigorating the nation through education, science and technology.

Major issues that dominated the Sichuan deputies'discussions today include seizing opportunities created by the central government strategy of developing the western areas, fully tapping local natural resources, protecting the ecological environment, furthering economic restructuring and raising the income level of rural residents.

As a province with a huge population, Sichuan lags behind the eastern regions in economic development, and the wealth disparity is even widening, said a deputy named Zhang Zhongwei. He added that Sichuan should cherish and seize opportunities as a result of the government strategy of prioritizing western regions in its economic work agenda.

Other issues discussed today were about improving water control facilities when developing the west, fostering new and hi-tech industries, accelerating development of education in ethnic minority regions, and strengthening the preservation of ecological environment.