Chinese Vice-Premier Wen Jiabao has urged for more efforts to fight the droughts that hit much of the country's northern regions and to ensure a good harvest for the year.
Wen, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party, made the appeal in his June 10-11 inspection to central China's Henan and Anhui provinces.
Over the past several months, many of the country's northern regions has experienced the worst droughts of the past decade, which have brought negative effects on agriculture, the vice- premier said.
It is estimated that over 13 million hectares of farm land have been hit by the droughts, and more than 18 million people and 15 million heads of livestock are in short of drinking waters All governments at drought-stricken areas should put great emphasis on drought fighting and take effective measures to reduce to the minimum the losses caused by droughts, the vice-premier said.
Chinese Vice-Premier Wen Jiabao has urged for more efforts to fight the droughts that hit much of the country's northern regions and to ensure a good harvest for the year.