BEIJING — Vice-Premier Han Zheng on July 3 urged resolute efforts to forestall the unauthorized occupation of arable land to construct buildings in rural areas in a bid to protect arable land.

Han, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said during a teleconference in Beijing that protection of arable land is vital to ensuring the country's grain output and action must be taken to stop the increase in such occupation.

Han stressed taking a zero-tolerance approach to new breaches, formulating feasible plans to rectify existing occupation in an orderly and effective manner, and protecting farmers' immediate interests with a solid guarantee of their legitimate housing demands.

He said the focus of the campaign should be addressing malicious acts including erecting buildings on arable land by forcible land-seizing and illegal property sales.