Vice-Premier Liu Yandong, who was on an inspection trip in Yunnan province, stressed that social causes such as education and healthcare should be pursued to promote development and long-term peace and stability in ethnic border areas.

Yunnan is a province with many ethnic groups. Liu visited a school, a hospital, research institutions and villages housing ethnic groups. She also talked to the public and local officials.

The vice-premier stressed improving the general schooling conditions and bilingual education standards, enhancing the quality of teachers and promoting a balanced development of compulsory education. Modern vocational education that can transfer and innovate national skills should be promoted. Sponsoring policies for students living in poverty should be fully implemented, she said.

Liu also said that medical reform should be expanded and medical care in poor areas should be improved. She stressed that traditional ethnic medicine is an important component of Chinese traditional medicine, after looking into the development conditions of Dai ethnic medicine. More support should be given to boost its development, she said.