Vice premier urges rural reform, food safety

Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang has called for business reforms and improvements to food and drug safety during a tour of South China's Jiangxi and Fujian provinces from Tuesday to Friday.

In Jiangxi's Ganzhou, an important agricultural city, Wang said that land circulation needs to be promoted in accordance with market functions and farmers' real interests.

Local government and organizations should not compel land circulation, so as to preserve the "red line" of arable land, he said.

China has pledged to keep 1.8 billion mu (120 million hectares) of arable land, an amount considered a "red line" minimum to ensure food security.

Wang also called for detailed poverty alleviation work featuring accurate registration, timely welfare services and sufficient infrastructure.

In Fujian Province, the vice premier visited local food and drug enterprises as well as a farmers' market, stressing strict supervision of food safety.

Wang demanded strict monitoring of the entire process of food production, processing and sales with severe punishment of crimes in the food and drug sector.

Consumers and business associations should participate in the supervision to help secure a better regulated food and drug market, he added.