CHANGCHUN — Vice-Premier Hu Chunhua has stressed the protection of black earth in the country's northeastern region.

Hu, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks at a recent forum on black earth protection in Changchun, capital city of Northeast China's Jilin province.

China attaches great importance to the protection of black earth, which plays an important role in the agricultural sector of the northeast region, Hu said.

Through experiments and pilot programs, China has gained experience in black earth conservation and utilization reflecting the particular features of different areas, he said.

The country will actively learn from domestic and international practices and explore ways to better protect black earth, he said.

China is willing to strengthen international cooperation in the conservation and utilization of black earth and work with other countries to promote sustainable development of agriculture, Hu added.