XI'AN — President Xi Jinping has urged efforts to overcome the negative impact of the COVID-19 epidemic to ensure the country reaches its goals in poverty alleviation and the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks during an inspection tour in Northwest China's Shaanxi province.

Xi called for solid efforts to ensure stable performance in employment, finance, foreign trade, foreign investment, domestic investment and market expectation.

He also stressed better safeguarding jobs, livelihood, market entities, food and energy security, the stability of industrial and supply chains, and the smooth running of communities.

Xi encouraged Shaanxi to make big development strides in the new era.

During his inspection from April 20 to 23, Xi learned about ecological conservation in the Qinling Mountains, poverty alleviation and work resumption, and conducted research on coordinating COVID-19 control with economic and social development as well as poverty alleviation.

At the Niubeiliang National Nature Reserve, Xi said protecting the environment of the Qinling Mountains is of great and far-reaching significance to the long-term prosperity of the Chinese nation as well as the realization of the two centenary goals and the country's sustainable development.

He urged local officials in Shaanxi to learn their lesson the hard way from the illegal construction of villas in the Qinling Mountains, avoid repeating the same mistake and work as guardians of the ecological environment of Qinling.

Leaving the nature reserve, Xi visited the village of Jinmi in Zhashui county to learn about poverty relief.

Xi stressed ensuring sustained and stable income increase for people in poverty.

"Being lifted out of poverty is not an end in itself but the starting point of a new life and a new pursuit," he said.

Xi underscored the importance of ensuring jobs for the poor as the year 2020 is the time for winning the anti-poverty fight.

In a relocated community in the county of Pingli, Xi went to the home of local resident Wang Xianping and chatted with the family.

Xi said relocation is essential for people in inhospitable areas to achieve strides in development. It is also an important approach to win the fight against poverty.

He stressed the importance of securing employment for relocated people to settle down in their new homes, get rich and not fall back into poverty.

During his stay in Pingli, Xi visited a township hospital and underlined addressing public health weaknesses, strengthening rural and community-level epidemic response capabilities and taking epidemic containment measures on a regular basis. He also visited a primary school and a tea farm there.

On April 22, Xi inspected work resumption and economic recovery in the provincial city of Xi'an. While visiting an auto company, he stressed that manufacturing is the lifeblood of the national economy.

Large State-owned enterprises should lead enterprises in both upstream and downstream sectors as well as small and medium-sized enterprises to fully resume production and work with regular epidemic control measures in place, Xi noted.

In Xi'an, Xi also visited Xi'an Jiaotong University, touring a museum on campus and stressing the importance of patriotism. He also went to a commercial street in the city to learn about the reopening of business.