Vice-Premier Hu Chunhua called for strong efforts to promote industrial development in poverty-stricken areas, offering solid support for the areas to get rid of poverty and become better off.

Hu, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, made the remarks at a national meeting held on Sept 1 in Guangyuan city of Southwest China’s Sichuan province to discuss the advancement of poverty alleviation through industrial development.

Hu said industrial development is key in poverty alleviation. Industrial development in poor areas is making positive progress but is still at a primary stage, and more powerful measures should be adopted, he said.

He specified that efforts should be made to boost quality and highly effective rural industries with local characters, develop modern farming and breeding according to local conditions, promote agricultural products processing and distribution based on consumption demand, and develop new industries with rural resources.

He also stressed the importance of strengthening county economies, developing labor-intensive industries, absorbing more investment and optimizing the industrial layout.

Hu called for strengthened efforts in promoting industrial development in poor areas, saying it is a main focus of poverty alleviation cooperation between eastern and western regions as well as in matching support programs.

He also stressed industrial cooperation and targeted support programs within provinces, saying a mechanism should be created according to market rules to ensure enterprises’ long-term participation, he said.

Further policies should be put in place to improve the business environment, infrastructure for industrial development and labor training in poverty-stricken areas, said Hu.

Efforts were also called for to encourage more poor families to participate in industrial development projects and to bind their interests with enterprises.