Vice-Premier Hu Chunhua, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and head of the State Council Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development, attended a symposium on poverty alleviation in extremely poor areas in Hechi, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, on Feb 13, urging solid efforts to promote comprehensive poverty alleviation in these areas.

Hu said that targeted and concentrated measures should be taken to solve major problems in extremely poor areas.

He also said great efforts should be made to free poor people from worries about food and clothing, and ensure their compulsory education, basic medical care, and housing security.

Hu added that the government should develop high-quality and high-efficiency industries in line with local conditions, and accelerate the upgrading of infrastructure and public services, coordinating poverty alleviation with rural revitalization, helping local residents to steadily shake off poverty and promoting sustainable development in the poor areas.

It is necessary to find problems and make rectification through inspection, while implementing accountability and strengthening support, said the vice-premier.

It is also important to give play to the cooperation between eastern and western areas, and targeted poverty alleviation of central government, to boost the self-development motivation of the poverty-stricken population and comprehensively improve the quality and effectiveness of poverty relief work.

Hu also visited local villagers and learned about poverty alleviation through industrial development and the relocation of local villagers.