During his July 24-27 inspection tour of Jilin and Heilongjiang provinces in northeast China, Zhu called on the provinces to implement the central government's flood prevention instructions and to prepare themselves for the possibility of severe flooding.

The premier also stressed the importance of engineering projects, conservation and construction as major ways to prevent and control flooding.

Zhu inspected flood prevention facilities and dykes in the valleys of the Nenjiang and Songhua rivers, which were ravaged by devastating floods in 1998.

He instructed local governments to take more measures to reinforce the dykes, and construct any necessary major water management projects and automatic command centers. This would raise the standard of flood control in the region.

The premier also said Jilin and Heilongjiang should continue to step up environmental conservation and construction to ensure the health of the region's ecological system. This should include turning fragile farmland to forests and grasslands and protecting virgin forests.

During the tour, Zhu also listened to the work reports of provincial leaders on social security and re-employment for workers laid off by state-owned enterprises in the region, and measures to ensure basic living allowances for workers and old-age pensions are paid in full and on time.

(People's Daily July 29, 2002)