Chinese Vice President Zeng Qinghong on Friday called on all county heads to enhance their governance abilities to serve the need for building the new socialist countryside.

Zeng said in a meeting with county leaders attending a training class at the central party school that farmers' rights and interests should be fully ensured by establishing democracy in China's rural areas.

Problems closely related to farmers should be addressed, and farmers' quality of life improved, said Zeng, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee.

Zeng encouraged college graduates interested in rural development to launch start-ups in rural areas to help farmers gain wealth and put their school learning into practice.

County-level governance is key to China's rural problems, he said, adding all county leaders must strengthen their theoretical study and management ability.

He Guoqiang, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and head of the Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee, was also present during the meeting.

(Xinhua News Agency January 13, 2007)