Chinese Vice-Premier Wen Jiabao has called for all localities to do the spring planting carefully and well in their respective areas.

Wen, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, made the call during a recent inspection tour of China's northwest province of Shaanxi.

During the tour from April 19-23, Wen visited the province's old revolutionaries bases, regions frequented by dry spells, and some counties where he conferred with officials and farmers about rural economy, agricultural restructuring as well as alleviation of farmers' burdens.

China is entering into the spring planting season. Leading officials at all government levels should go out to the countryside and got acquainted with the problems faced by local farmers and resolve their difficulties, the vice-premier said.

More meticulous efforts should be made to guarantee the steady supply of crop strains and other means of agricultural production.

And agricultural science promotion departments should give more and timely guidance to local farmers in the spring planting, Wen said.

In the meantime, he added, efforts should also be made to fight against sales of substandard seeds, chemical fertilizer and pesticides.

During the inspection, the vice-premier noted that the country' s agriculture must be readjusted if it is to be further developed, and the work is urgent.

He said the country's grain production areas should tap the most of their advantages in this regard, and turn out more and still better agricultural produce.

While the ecologically-weak areas, especially those in the country's dry west, local governments and farmers should place more emphasis on reconverting farmland into forest and grassland, and develop agriculture suitable to the distinct characteristics of each region, Wen said.

The vice-premier also stressed that while efforts are made to increase the local farmers' income, concrete measures have to be adopted to relieve their burdens.

All localities should strictly carry out the rules and regulations governing farmers' rights and interests, and agricultural fees and taxes should never exceed the levels in 1997.

In his conversations with local grassroots-level officials, the vice-premier asked them to inherit and carry forward the Communist Party's fine tradition of mingling with the public and caring about the people.