Vice Premier Wang Qishan on Saturday called for further reform and opening-up in the central regions.

The central regions needs to boost awareness of reform, innovation, opening-up, market, and the rule of law, Wang said when he addressed the opening of the Third Central China Investment and Trade Expo in Wuhan, capital of central China's Hubei Province.

China unveiled the strategy of "The Rise of Central China" in 2004, following boosting policies on the West and Northeast, amid efforts to promote a coordinated regional development.

The central regions include provinces of Shanxi, Anhui, Henan, Jiangxi, Hunan and Hubei.

The vice premier ordered local authorities not to develop economy at the cost of environment and take on the old growth mode of high energy consumption and pollution.

The provinces should make good use of local advantages to speedup the construction of regional bases of raw materials, grain, culture and tourism, he said.

The regions should also speed up the construction of railways, roads and water transport infrastructures and build a services-oriented government to create a fair investment environment for both domestic and overseas investors, Wang added.

(Xinhua News Agency April 28, 2008)