BEIJING — President Xi Jinping has urged redoubled efforts to win the tough battle against poverty on schedule.
China should stick to its poverty relief target and work harder for a victory in the battle, Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, stressed when giving instructions on poverty reduction work, as the country observes the fifth National Poverty Relief Day, which falls on Oct 17 every year.
China has gradually been eradicating poverty since the country’s reform and opening-up policy was launched in 1978. Continued hard work for 40 years has helped more than 700 million of the population shake off poverty and created miracles in human poverty reduction history, said Xi.
The extreme poverty that has existed for thousands of years for the Chinese nation is now close to being historically solved, and China’s tough battle against poverty has entered the most crucial stage, said Xi.
“What the most critical moment needs is the firm belief in success and determination to summon up courage. As long as all regions and departments take on responsibilities and conduct solid work, cadres and masses in poverty-stricken areas forge ahead and work hard, the whole party and the people of all ethnic groups unite as one and stick to the poverty relief target and work harder for a victory, we will certainly win the tough battle against poverty on schedule,” stressed Xi.
Premier Li Keqiang, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, said that all regions and departments should intensify targeted poverty alleviation through integration with the rural vitalization strategy, offering more support to deeply impoverished regions.
Premier Li also called for stronger measures to help special groups in poverty-stricken areas, stricter supervision of poverty relief funds and improvement of poverty relief work evaluation and inspection.