Premier Li Keqiang visited Guyuan and Yinchuan in the Ningxia Hui autonomous region on Feb 1 and 2, and extended New Year greetings to people of all ethnic groups on behalf of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council.

Premier Li visited Banzigou, an impoverished village in Guyuan and promised more efforts to resettle the poverty-stricken villagers.

After more than an hour-long bumpy journey on a rugged mountain road, the Premier arrived at homes of local people and learned in detail about their minimum living allowances, reimbursement of medical bills and how long they have to walk to obtain drinking water.

The Premier had a cordial conversation with local people and the villagers expressed their wishes to relocate as soon as possible. Relocating impoverished people from bad natural conditions is an important way to alleviate poverty, said the premier. A better living place means better conditions for medical care and education, he added.

Premier Li noted that poverty alleviation will be a major task for the 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-2020) period. Resolution should be made to eliminate poverty so as to make people in financial difficulties lead better-off lives, he said.

Due to water scarcity, Xihaigu area used to be a poverty-stricken region. The Premier climbed onto the Zhongzhuang reservoir despite the cold weather. He said that after construction, the reservoir will help solve the water shortage for 1.13 million people in the area, and it is not only livelihood projects but also development projects. He also said that quality should be the first priority of project construction and the local government should satisfy the demands of local people to drink clean water as soon as possible.

This will also promote local urbanization and development to make the Xihaigu area stand at the forefront of poverty alleviation, said the Premier.

With the Spring Festival approaching, Premier Li is concerned for people in difficulties. He visited a nursing home and learned about the situation of local senior citizens.

The Premier had a lunch of hot dumplings with the old, and put up a wall hanging with two Chinese characters indicating good fortune and longevity. He said that respecting the old is a good Chinese tradition and he wished them happiness and longevity as they contributed most of their lives to society. He also said that we should care and nurse them, so that they will no longer worry about the rest of their lives.

Premier Li also met with representatives of religious and ethnic groups at the Najiahu Mosque in Yinchuan, capital of Ningxia Hui autonomous region. He said that the mosque represents the diversity and unity of China’s different ethnic groups.

A harmonious family brings the prosperity of everything, said the Premier. He said he hopes religious people and groups will contribute more to ethnic unity, religious harmony and joint development.

After the inspection of the mosque, the premier visited a local market, and chatted with people who were shopping for Spring Festival.

He talked with vendors and grocery owners and not only learned about their business, but also extended good wishes to them.

At the Kocel Machinery Co Ltd in Yinchuan, Premier Li inspected both traditional and new 3D printing workshops.

After hearing that profits doubled this year through making new products, he said there is a huge space for new technologies to transform traditional industries.

The future of “Made in China 2025” is based on the Internet which not only can provide the best technological ideas to upgrade traditional industries but also offer the best way to integrate material, technology, modes and intellectuals, significantly improving efficiency and benefit, the premier said.

He also noted that efforts should be made in building a more open platform to embrace enterprises and scientific research institutions and form a place which is defined by build-up effect and innovation factory.

Premier Li also inspected an exhibition center on the “Smart Ningxia” initiative and extended his Spring Festival greetings to people of Ningxia Hui autonomous region.

He encouraged college students at the center to lay a solid academic foundation so that more innovative achievements will be made in the future.

At the citizen service hall in Yinchuan, Premier Li praised the city’s administrative streamlining efforts of “one window, one stamp” and told accompanying officials that Yinchuan’s efforts should be applied to in other places.

He stressed that satisfaction of people, convenience for businesses, and stimulation of social creativity are the standards to streamline administrative powers and offer optimized services.

The Premier praised the economic and social developments in Ningxia and hoped that Ningxia will be a frontrunner in promoting new driving-forces, strengthening national unity, and alleviating poverty.