Maintaining and expanding poverty relief achievements should be a priority in overall rural revitalization, Vice-Premier Hu Chunhua said.

Hu, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks at a teleconference on building and advancing the national system for rural revitalization held in Beijing on June 10.

The system on rural revitalization, restructured from the poverty alleviation work, should optimize and integrate departmental functions for coordinated efforts in the drive, Hu said.

Monitoring and assistance mechanisms should be in place, Hu said, to prevent people from falling back into poverty, with support for industries and employment.

He also stressed exploring revitalization paths and models based on local conditions, and enhancing team-building under the system.