Xi urges greater poverty-alleviation efforts(2)

Statistics show that the annual net income per capita is only around 2,400 yuan (390 U.S. dollars) for farmers in natural resource-poor Fuping County, a former revolutionary base 300 km from Beijing.

"The most arduous and heavy task facing China in completing the building of a moderately prosperous society is in the rural areas, especially the poverty-stricken regions," Xi said.

He made the remarks after hearing officials' reports on local economic and social development Saturday night.

A well-off China won't come if people in rural areas can't live a well-off life, he said.

Xi said the central authorities are highly concerned about poverty-alleviation work, urging all local Party and government organs to fulfill their responsibilities well to bring people out of poverty quickly.

Xi's Sunday visit, which was first reported via microblogging services, has been widely hailed by experts and commentators.

"It demonstrates his feelings for people in poverty and in former revolutionary bases," said Ai Yiwei, professor with the Party school of the Hunan Provincial Committee of the CPC.

China aims to complete the building of a moderately prosperous society by the end of 2020, with a sharp decrease in the number of poverty-stricken residents in the country, according to a report from the 18th CPC National Congress.

The report said China will escalate efforts to boost economic and social development in old revolutionary bases, minority regions, border regions and impoverished regions, deepening the poverty-alleviation drive in rural areas.

Achieving this goal will undoubtedly be a long and arduous task, according to experts.

Based on the current poverty line of 2,300 yuan in annual net income per capita, China has 128 million impoverished people in rural areas, accounting for 13.4 percent of the population in the countryside.

Over the past three decades China has achieved great progress in alleviating poverty, a fact recognized by the international community.

However, China has a serious gap between different regions and between urban and rural areas in terms of development levels, which is a pressing issue. Resolving this problem will be a long and arduous task.

"We're deeply inspired by General Secretary Xi's visit," said Li Ningtai, secretary of the CPC Fuping County Committee, adding that the county will quicken poverty-alleviation efforts.

Meanwhile, he expressed hope that more policy initiatives, regarding government allocations, and personnel training and placement, among others, will be launched to support impoverished regions like his county.

Professor Ai Yiwei said China will surely have a better future if the new leadership of the CPC carries out the country's reform and poverty-alleviation drive earnestly and in a down-to-earth manner.

As for Xi, he expressed his own vision for change in impoverished regions. "With confidence, people can make yellow soil into gold," said Xi.