Vice-Premier Hui was speaking during a meeting with World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Secretary-General Godwin Obasi, heads of meteorological bureaus from countries participating in the 32nd WMO China study tour and renowned scientists attending the International Symposium on Climate Change (ISCC) held in China.

Hui, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, acknowledged that the meteorological work was of great importance in all aspects of social and economic life.

The Chinese government strongly supported the modernization of the meteorological work and helped to lift the standard of the country's meteorological operations in recent years, he said.

Climate change has posed a global challenge that required meteorologists all over the world to coordinate their research efforts, he said. The WMO had played a great role in this respect and Professor Obasi had done much fruitful work.

Moreover, Hui said, the Chinese government would continue to place importance on and support international cooperation, especially cooperation with the WMO, so as to make its due contribution to the development of world meteorological study.

Obasi said he hoped to further increase meteorological cooperation with China.

(Xinhua News Agency April 2, 2003)