Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao stressed the importance of sticking to scientific concept in developing western China, urging more efforts given to optimizing economic structure and distribution of industries.

The premier made the remarks while addressing a meeting of the State Council on the development of the western regions earlier this week.

Wen said there is a need to consolidate the progress made so far and learn from past lessons for the fine-tuning of relevant policies.

The meeting adopted the 2006 plan for the development of the western region, which stresses the need to give policy priority to agriculture, the development of rural regions and increasing farmers' income.

He the central government and local authorities must spend more on the building of water, roads and other public facilities in the countryside.

Western regions must strive to optimize their economic structure and distribution of industries, and focus on industries that are more competitive, the plan says.

The plan emphasizes the importance of environment protection, calling for continued efforts on the protection of essential farmlands and the changing less viable farmlands into forests or pastures.

The plan calls for improvement of education, health and cultural services in the western regions, urging local authorities to fully implement government policies that provide various aid to poor rural pupils.

(Xinhua News Agency April 22, 2006)