During his inspection tour in the northern province of Shanxi during March 29-April 2, Zhu said agriculture is now a weak link in the national economy, and the slow growth of farmers' incomes constitutes a great hindrance to further economic growth.

If not solved properly, the issue could undermine China's reform, development and stability, he warned.

Now that China has become a WTO member, its agriculture will confront new challenges in the near future, and the task of raising farmers' incomes will become more difficult, said the premier.

To cope with the new situation, priority should be given to accelerating the pace of returning arable land to forests, stepping up agricultural restructuring, pushing forward the rural taxation reform, raising farmers' incomes by every possible means and substantially reducing the burden on farmers.

He stressed that returning arable land to forests is a significant step toward adjusting the agricultural structure and stepping up ecological construction. It is also the most immediateand most effective way to raise farmers' incomes.

During his tour, Premier Zhu visited rural households, schools,natural forest protection projects and pilot projects of returningarable land to forests, and inspected a local steel plant and local urban construction projects.

(People's Daily April 4, 2002)