BEIJING, Nov. 13 -- Chinese Premier Li Qiang has emphasized the need to advance farmland water conservancy and high-standard farmland construction, calling for fully leveraging the comprehensive benefits of high-standard farmland to safeguard the bottom line of food security and build China's strength in agriculture.

Li, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, noted in a recent instruction that local authorities and relevant departments have stepped up farmland development in recent years, helping strengthen grain production capacity and improve agricultural disaster prevention and mitigation.

He called for advancing the construction of high-standard farmland and the modernization of large and medium-sized irrigation areas, promoting water conservation and efficiency in agriculture, strengthening agricultural disaster prevention and mitigation, and tackling outstanding issues in high-standard farmland construction.

The instruction was conveyed at a national video conference held on Friday, which focused on high-standard farmland and farmland water conservancy construction over the winter-spring period.

Addressing the meeting, Vice Premier Liu Guozhong called for tightening fund oversight, continuing efforts to rectify identified issues, and accelerating the application of the results of the third national soil survey.

Liu, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, urged continued efforts in autumn and winter sowing and winter-spring agricultural production, the smooth purchase of autumn grain, and agricultural disaster prevention and mitigation.