Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, on Tuesday stressed the need to actively develop water-conserving agriculture and refrain from water-wasting irrigation.

Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, visits a rural ecotourism park to learn about the development of local signature agriculture in Helan County, northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, June 9, 2020. Xi on Tuesday inspected the city of Yinchuan during his trip to Ningxia. [Photo/Xinhua]

Xi made the remarks when visiting a rural ecotourism park in Helan County, northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, to learn about the integrated development of modern agriculture and leisure tourism there.

The planting structure should be adjusted to better protect the water resources here, Xi said, noting that the people in Ningxia have long been blessed by the Yellow River.

Production should be based on the situation of local water resources and efforts be made to focus on the quality rather than quantity of products and increase their added value, Xi added.