Premier Li Keqiang encouraged Jiangxi province to play an important role in the construction of the economic belt along the Yangtze River.

He said Jiangxi should grasp the opportunity that development of the economic belt along the Yangtze River offers the province. The Yangtze is the country's longest river and the water transportation hub linking eastern and western China.

Li made the remarks during a panel discussion at the ongoing annual session of the National People's Congress on Sunday. Li and deputies from Jiangxi province discussed the development of China's central region.