President Xi Jinping on Sunday urged east China's Anhui Province, which spearheaded land reform in 1978 that broke up the previous commune-style collective farming, to actively deepen reforms in the area.

"On the basis of respecting farmer' wishes, the province should carry out reform pilots, and properly handle the relations between farmers and land to ensure the healthy and smooth proceeding of rural reforms," Xi said when joining a panel discussion with lawmakers from the province at the ongoing annual parliamentary session.