Li, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), made the call while inspecting central China's Hubei Province from May 4 to 7.

Li, also the Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), visited local enterprises, schools, research institutes and rural households during the four-day inspection.

He said that local governments should restructure agricultural production along more practical lines and develop economies with local characteristics.

He said further processing of agricultural produce would help farmers increase their income.

The model of "companies plus rural households", a simplified phrase referring to the mutually profitable cooperation between farmers and the agro-produce processing firms, would be a good way for increasing farmers' income.

On the Three Gorges Project, Li asked Hubei Province to make full use of the opportunity to protect the ecological environment and accelerate self-development.

Local governments should concentrate on population resettlement before the second damming of the Yangtze River required by the project.

Li told local officials that the economy could not be developed more speedily without development of hi-tech industries. However, considering China's huge population, local governments should develop more labor-intensive enterprises.

He said that it should be one of the major tasks for local CPC committees and governments to create more job opportunities. They should show more concern for people who were living in difficulties.

The top legislator told local legislatures to fulfill their responsibilities seriously and do in-depth research to improve effectiveness of the legislative supervision.

( May 8, 2002)