Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji Thursday called for faster scientific progress, more innovation, and accelerated translation of scientific and technological achievements into practical productive forces in China's strides towards modernization.

During the tour, Zhu visited the newly established broadband telecom company, China Netcom Co., Ltd., the Biotechnology Institute of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences and the Sino-Japanese Friendship Environmental Protection Center, and called upon a number of scientists and researchers. He expressed his best wishes to those involved in scientific research and technological advancement on the eve of Spring Festival, the Chinese traditional Lunar New Year.

At China Netcom, the premier said China must adhere to the strategy of invigorating the country through science and technology and pay greater attention to the role of science and technology, especially high technology.

He called for efforts to quickening the pace of turning the results of scientific research into productive forces, in order to promote the upgrade of traditional industries and the development of high-tech industries. China Netcom, a State enterprise set up in August, 1999, was jointly funded by the Ministry of Information Industry, the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), the Ministry of Railways, the State General Administration of Radio, Film and Television, and the Municipal Government of Shanghai.

Accompanied by CAS President Lu Yongxiang, the premier watched demonstration of high-definition image transmission and "family-oriented broadband network" application at the telecommunications company.

Zhu expressed the hope that the company will explore ways to manage and develop a new generation of telecommunications companies and make contributions to reform of the State-owned enterprises and telecommunications system, and to knowledge-based innovation.

Chinese society, as a whole, should make extensive use of information technology and efforts should be made to popularize the use of computers and networks, develop and use information resources, the premier said.

He said government departments concerned should support China Netcom, and waste no time developing and improving the national high-speed broadband transmission network, building user connection networks and expanding the use of Internet, and promoting the integration of the telecommunications, television and computer networks.

The national public information network should be improved and the development of the country's information industry should be accelerated, and the information service industry, especially network service, should be expanded, said Zhu.

He said reform of the telecommunications industry should be deepened in accordance with the principles of separating the functions of the government from those of the enterprises, in order to promote fair competition. At the biotech institute, Premier Zhu watched a video presentation on anti-pest transgenetic cotton, and visited a plant gene engineering laboratory.

He said that government departments should continue their support for research on the anti-pest transgenetic cotton and promote the use of the technology across the country.

Zhu said efforts should be made to improve basic agricultural research.

At the environmental protection center, he said that despite recent progress in environmental protection, worsening of the ecological environment has not yet been effectively averted, and the environmental situation is still quite serious.

Zhu said China will continue with its sustainable development strategy and attach greater importance to environmental protection and pollution control.

Comprehensive control on air, water, garbage and noise pollution should be improved, and industrial pollution should be curbed, Zhu said, adding that efforts should be made towards ecological and environmental protection in developing China's vast western areas.

During the tour, Zhu stressed the importance of fostering and encouraging talents, and called for creating a sound social environment for the scientists and researchers. He described high- calibre personnel as the most important, most treasured resources.