XINING — Hu Chunhua, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, has urged intensified efforts to fight extreme poverty.

Hu, also chief of the State Council leading group of poverty alleviation and development, made the remarks during an inspection tour in Northwest China's Qinghai province.

After visits to some county-level regions of extreme poverty, Hu said governments should firmly implement poverty relief policies and channel more resources into those areas.

Greater efforts should be made to ensure compulsory education, basic medical care and housing for the rural poor, while safe drinking water should be guaranteed.

Hu urged local governments to adopt various ways to increase incomes of relocated poor households and accelerate the development of distinctive industries and county economies.

He also stressed collaboration on poverty alleviation between the eastern and western regions as well as partner assistance, and called for the internal impetus of poor people to lift themselves out of poverty.