BEIJING, April 23 -- Chen Min, vice minister of water resources, on Tuesday called for action to strengthen flood control in the basins of the Yangtze River and Taihu Lake, China's third-largest freshwater lake.

Comprehensive flood control preparations should be made, and weak links should be shored up, Chen said.

The official also urged efforts to enhance rain forecasting and flood monitoring capabilities.

Water conservancy projects should be leveraged in a coordinated manner to mitigate flooding, Chen added.