About 60 million people in China's vast rural areas had been helped out of the drinking water shortage from 2000 to 2004, thanks to the more than 800,000 newly-built water supply projects, said Zhai Haohui, vice ministry of Water Resources, here Thursday.

Speaking at the 2005 national farmland and water conservancy construction conference, Zhai said China invested 20 billion yuan (US$2.5 billion) during the past five years in drinking water facilities building.

Zhai said though China has achieved great achievements in water supply, many people, especially those who live in mountainous areas, pasturing areas and some places which are stricken by severe droughts, still suffer serious drinking water shortage.

The vice minister said till the end of 2004 the drinking water supply difficulties in rural areas were basically solved and in the next step the Ministry of Water Resources will shift their focal points toward the safety of the water.

(Xinhua News Agency October 14, 2005)