Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping has called for enhanced rural reform, food safety and development of small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) during an inspection of the east China's Zhejiang Province.

Xi, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, told the province to grasp opportunities and cope with challenges in face of the domestic and international situation, and push forward the reform and opening-up drive to realize the year's goal for economic and social development.

During his stay in the province from Tuesday to Friday, Xi visited the countryside and enterprises, stressing reform and development.

In the villages of Yanshan and Gaocheng in suburban Hangzhou, the provincial capital, he urged local officials to take all measures to facilitate rural reform and development, develop modern agriculture and improve the public utilities in the countryside.

Xi also stressed the development of SMEs, an important economic force in the province, in face of the new global economic situation. At a textile enterprise, he urged the SMEs to upgrade and adjust their industrial structure and officials to help them solve problems and improve innovation ability.

The vice president also underscored food safety when inspecting the Youkang food group in Hangzhou, urging government and companies to beef up supervision on the development, production, circulation and consumption chains of food and preventing substandard products from entering the market.

(Xinhua News Agency November 2, 2008)