ZHENGZHOU, May 8 -- Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Guoqing has called for efforts to ensure food safety, maintain a fair and competitive market order, optimize China's consumer environment, and protect the interests of the people.

Zhang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks during an inspection tour in central China's Henan Province which began on Wednesday and ended on Thursday.

Noting that food safety is crucial to the lives and health of the people, Zhang urged strict prevention of problems at their source, strict management during the process and strict control of risks. He stressed that there can be no relaxation of such efforts at any point.

He emphasized that market supervision plays an important role in serving high-quality development and meeting the people's needs for high-quality life.

He called for enhanced capabilities to promptly identify and resolve problems. He also urged the use of new technologies such as artificial intelligence and big data to advance penetrative supervision, and called for continuous improvement of supervision and law enforcement, as well as the quality and efficiency of inspection and testing processes.

During a visit to the Yellow River flood control and drought relief headquarters, Zhang also stressed the importance of analyzing rainfall and flood trends promptly, of intensifying the identification of risks and hidden dangers, and of flood control preparations.