Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji observe the lunar New Year's eve and the first day of the new year with 30 million Chongqing residents, including relocated farmers from the Three Gorges Dam area.
The premier sent New Year's greetings to Chongqing residents on behalf of the CPC Central Committee and President Jiang Zemin.
Zhu first visited two households, one whose head of house was a laid-off worker, as well as a poor family. He asked the municipal officials to ensure the basic living of poor urban residents and create more job opportunities for the laid-off workers.
He also inspected the expressway construction underway in the municipality.
Chongqing has built up its 46.6-mile ring-expressway over a period of several years.
Zhu also traveled to a village in Fuling District, about 124.28 miles outside Chongqing proper, to visit relocated people from the Three Gorges area.
Premier Zhu went into several newly built houses occupied by the relocated people and asked them about their production, living conditions and income.
He said he was pleased to learn the relocated families have higher incomes than before.
Zhu asked local officials to push ahead with the animal husbandry, forestry and tourism industries in an effort to help farmers make more money and to protect the ecological environment.
(Xinhua News Agency February 12, 2002)
