Premier Wen Jiabao called for more sustainable usage of land and natural resources during his Friday inspection of the Ministry of Land and Resources.

Wen urged improvements in the management of China's land and mineral resources, as well as more accurate mapping of geographical information, in order to better promote the country's economic development.

In the ministry's information center, Wen inspected a database and electronic supervision platform designed for the purpose of allowing authorities to monitor China's land resources. He also visited a complaint center, where ordinary citizens can report irregularities in the use of land and resources.

"How many people phoned in today?" Wen asked. "149 already," an operator replied.

Complaint centers throughout the country have handled 200,000 reports of irregular land usage since June 2009.

"We should create conditions for people to supervise the government," Wen said.

He called for more rational development and utilization of resources, urging local authorities to intensify their efforts to save resources and avoid over-exploitation.

Wen said land resource management authorities should employ both domestic and international markets, enhance international cooperation in exploring mineral resources and bolster technological innovation.

He also called for better protection of arable land, as the availability of land for agricultural use will have a "significant bearing on future generations."

(Xinhua News Agency September 3, 2011)