Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao wrapped up a four-day inspection
tour of the southwestern Chongqing Municipality on Monday, voicing
concerns over rural development and living standards.
Wen visited the Auto Engineering Institute of the Chang'an
Automobile Company, a Chinese-owned firm, which he encouraged to
develop its own low emission, energy-saving and cost-effective
technologies.
At a discussion with people and company representatives
relocated from the Three Gorges Dam site, Wen urged officials at
the dam areas to solve the problems in transportation and clean
drinking water supply, accelerate the development of agriculture
and animal husbandry, turn orange cultivation into the pillar
industry in the region, and carry out "fertile land project", under
which local people are urged to mover fertile earth to be submerged
by the reservoir to top of nearby hills.
Construction of the Three Gorges Dam project began in the early
1990s and involved an investment of 203.9 billion yuan (US$25.2
billion). It is designed to control flooding on the Yangtze River
and increase China's electricity production. However, about 1.25
million people had to move their homes to pave way for the giant
project.
Visiting a dairy farm, the premier wrote: "I have a dream to
provide every Chinese, especially children, sufficient milk each
day."
Rural economic development and farmers' living standards should
be a priority in the agenda to build a new socialist
countryside.
The premier inspected local communities to discuss issues of
employment, sanitation and migrant workers' incomes. He urged local
governments to increase investment in hospital facilities and to
implement the 40 measures issued by the central government to help
migrant workers.
(Xinhua News Agency April 25, 2006)