Premier Wen Jiabao chaired a meeting of the Standing Committee of the State Council, which studied and decided the current work of flood prevention.

The meeting pointed out that the situation of flood prevention was rather critical: extreme hazardous weather attacked frequently since entering the flood period; the whole state was in a critical period of flood prevention at present; the activity period of typhoon had set in. The meeting emphasized that the work of flood prevention was crucial to the development of the whole economic-socio situation and the safety of the lives and the property of the people. Governments at all levels should strengthen the organization and leadership, put more efforts into the work and complete all the work of flood prevention well, attaching great importance to the work of flood prevention.

1.To pay attention to the supervision and pre-warning of the situation of the rain, flood and disaster.

2.To reinforce the safety protection of the key objectives.

3.To strengthen the supply support and finance support.

4.To strengthen scientific control and prepare for the use of the flood catchment area and the flood retarding area.

5.To make adequate arrangements for the daily life and the restoration of the people in the disaster areas.

6.To strengthen the supervision and inspection and implement the responsibility system of the flood prevention work.

7.To make overall arrangement of the work of flood prevention, disaster relief and economic restoration and development.

The meeting pointed out that great achievements in the control of the big rivers had been made. However, it should be noticed that the flood control system of the small rivers was low, the flood diversion work was hard for the small reservoirs and the prevention of the mountain torrent disaster was weak. The reinforcement of the water conservancy construction should be put into a preeminent position and the construction for the weak links of the water conservancy should be started as soon as possible.

1.To formulate scientific plan, make greater investment and advance the work of controlling the small rivers and removing peril and reinforcing the dam for the small reservoirs.

2.To advance the implementation of the formulation of the mountain torrent disaster prevention, strengthen the construction of the supervision and pre-warning system, to build the prevention and organization system at the basic level and improve the ability of preventing the mountain torrent disaster.

The meeting discussed and basically approved the Law of The People’s Republic of China on Water and Soil Conservation (Draft Amendment), deciding to submit the draft to the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress after further revision.

The meeting discussed and basically approved the Regulations on the Service of the PLA Soldiers on Active Service (Draft Amendment) which would be promulgated by the State Council and the Military Commission of the Central Committee of CPC after further revision.