Chinese Premier urges redoubled drought-relief efforts

Seriously dry conditions are affecting the lives of 50 million people in Southwestern China. Premier Wen Jiabao has visited drought-plagued Yunnan Province and called for intensified and consistent efforts to relieve the situation.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (C) adds soil to the plastic bags to rear corn seedlings in the field in Luliang County, southwest China's Yunnan Province, March 20, 2010. During a three-day inspection trip in the drought-plagued Yunnan Province ending on Sunday, Premier Wen visited Qujing City, one of the regions that suffered the most from the severe drought ravaging since last October, to comfort the affected locals and direct relief work. (Xinhua/Yao Dawei)

Qujing is one of the regions suffering most from the drought in Yunnan province.

Premier Wen Jiabao's 3-day visit aimed at comforting affected locals and directing relief work.

He visited a number of farms and spoke to the local people.

Chinese premier Wen Jiabao said, "As long as we unite together, we can surely overcome this big disaster."

Premier Wen called on villagers to dig more wells and construct additional aqueducts, while also encouraging them to use water sparingly.

The drought has made more than 16 million people and 11 million livestock short of drinking water.