Chinese Vice Premier Zeng Peiyan has urged cartographers to redouble their efforts at being innovative during the "11th Five-Year Plan" in order to make better use of the country's natural resources and secure sustained economic growth.

Zeng said at a recent work conference that mapping played an increasing role in an information society and was fundamental to the social and economic development of the country.

From 2006 to 2010, China will develop new technologies and put them into application, optimize the sector's management system and train more personnel with expertise to build up the mapping industry, he said.

He stressed that mapping work must be able to support the development of key construction programs and satisfy resource development needs.

To reach the goal, technical standards for mapping need to be further improved and a more transparent, information-sharing work style should be fostered, he noted.

(Xinhua News Agency August 22, 2006)