Regulation and Policy 

Vice Premier On Agricultural Development Strategy (July 1, 1999)

China will no longer encourage its farmers to open up wasteland for cultivation in order to protect the ecological environment, Vice Premier Wen Jiabao said in Beijing on May 26. "We must combine the improvement of our comprehensive agricultural production ability with the protection of the ecological environment, reclaiming as little wasteland as possible and even completely stopping reclamation," the vice premier told a national conference on comprehensive agricultural development held in Beijing. 

"The farmers should be advised to upgrade farmland which now only generates medium or low production to seek higher agricultural output which should be the country's main task in terms of agricultural development," said Wen, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee.

"Those regions with poor ecological conditions must spare no efforts to plant grass and trees to prevent soil erosion and land desertification," he stressed.   Moreover, he said, it is necessary for China to develop high efficiency agriculture with high yields and high-quality products through the advancement of science and technology. 

While giving a briefing on China's agricultural development plan, the vice premier said that the country will step up its efforts to develop the northern region into a high-quality wheat production base and build an animal feed production base in the northeastern region.  

"We will also develop water conserving agriculture by adopting an advanced irrigation system nationwide, and encourage all mountainous and hill