SHIJIAZHUANG -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang urged Chinese photovoltaic (PV) companies to be stronger in adversity by strengthening innovation and tapping both overseas and domestic markets.

During an inspection tour to north China's Hebei Province on Friday and Saturday, Li visited a PV company, an environment monitoring site, a university, and a village among other stops.

At Jinglong Company, a large PV firm in Xingtai City, Li said the Chinese sector boasts international competitiveness, and that the country firmly opposes trade protectionism.

"We need to stabilize overseas markets while activating the domestic market to revitalize China's PV industry," said Li.

The premier warned it will not be easy for the sector to keep being a leading player in the international market. He urged PV companies to grasp core technology, gain advantages through innovation and grow stronger in adversity.

When visiting an environment monitoring site, Li said air quality information must be publicized in an open, transparent and correct manner to better serve the public.

Li said the environmental protection authorities should do more in analyzing the sources of pollution, enhancing legal enforcement, pressing enterprises to live up to their environmental obligations and promoting development of the environmental protection industry.

During the inspection tour, Li held meetings to analyze the current economic situation, explore ways to grow domestic demand, and discuss investment and financing mechanism reforms.