Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao has called for intensified and consistent efforts to relieve drought in the country and help the affected people overcome the difficulty.

During a three-day trip to China's drought-plagued southwestern Yunnan Province that ended on Sunday, Wen visited Qujing, one of the regions that suffered the most from the recent severe drought, to comfort the affected locals and direct relief work.

On his trip, Wen went to drought-hit villages, farmlands and reservoirs to learn about the impact that the drought had on local life and farm production.

"I believe that men will not be beaten by the nature, and tough time will not last forever," he said to local villagers.

Wen said priority should be given to the guarantee of drinking water supply for local people, and the preparations for the spring farming, urging local authorities to make utmost efforts and prepare for the worst as the drought "is likely to continue".

More efforts should be given to the spring farming this year for a good harvest, which is needed to ensure a steady and rapid economic growth and stable commodity prices, Wen said.

Wen also stressed the provision of enough food supplies to avoid significant fluctuations in food prices and fulfill the basic needs of the affected people.

To fundamentally address water-shortage, Wen ordered intensified efforts on water conservancy project construction and promised more government support in this field.

The severe drought has affected 51 million Chinese and left more than 16 million people and 11 million livestock with drinking water shortages, China's State Commission of Disaster Relief said Friday.

Since autumn last year, southwest China, including Yunnan, Sichuan and Guizhou provinces, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Chongqing Municipality, has received only half its annual average rainfall and water stores are depleted.

(Xinhua News Agency March 21, 2010)