Quake-hit areas should combine industrial restructuring with reconstruction to achieve sustainable development, according to an executive meeting of the State Council held on Wednesday.

The meeting, presided over by Premier Wen Jiabao, made arrangements for resumption of work and production in quake-hit areas.

The meeting urged combining quake reconstruction with industrial restructuring. The quake-hit areas are asked to take advantage of their resources and take the local environmental conditions and market demand into consideration in post-quake construction.

Efforts should be made in energy conservation and emission reduction. Backward production facilities should be eliminated, according to the meeting.

The meeting also urged giving priorities to rebuilding major infrastructure facilities and the restoration of people's livelihoods.

According to the meeting, the nation will strengthen aid to the quake areas and meanwhile mobilize people in affected areas to help themselves.

It also urged paying heed to safety in reconstruction efforts and creating employment in various ways.

The death toll of China's May 12 earthquake stood at 69,146 as of Wednesday noon. A total of 374,131 people were injured and 17,516 others remained missing after the 8.0-magnitude quake that jolted southwestern Sichuan Province and neighboring regions.

(Xinhua News Agency June 12, 2008)