ZHENGZHOU, Aug. 1 -- Chinese Vice Premier Liu Guozhong has called for efforts to minimize the damage to agricultural production caused by recent torrential rain and flooding and to ensure a bumper harvest this autumn.

Liu, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks during an investigation and research trip in central China's Henan Province from Wednesday to Thursday.

He conducted field inspections of the damage caused by flooding in the city of Nanyang, urging measures to promote the restoration of affected crops and guide farmers to re-plant land on which crops were destroyed.

Liu also urged efforts to improve the agriculture sector's capacity for disaster prevention and reduction, and to step up financial support for the restoration of agricultural production.

For farmland unaffected by flooding, steps should be taken to increase output, aiming to compensate for losses so that China's food security is not undermined, he said.