Chinese Vice Premier Zeng Peiyan called on the country's central provinces to begin revitalization of the region by blazing new trails and giving full scope to their advantages.

The vice premier made the instruction during his April 4-7 tour of Henan Province, one of the six provinces in central China which also include Shanxi, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangxi and Anhui.

Zeng said these provinces should step up reform and opening to the outside world, independent innovation and push forward economic restructuring in a bid to achieve faster, sustainable social and economic development.

Central China is home to the birthplace of Chinese civilization and the country's major grain and energy-producing area.

Over the past 25 years the central provinces accounted for 26 percent of the country's gross domestic product, while the coastal region accounted for 56 percent of GDP.

(Xinhua News Agency April 8, 2006)