Xi chats with impoverished villagers, migrant workers(2)

CARE FOR THE POOR

It has been a routine practice for top CPC leaders to pay visits to urban communities and villagers ahead of and during the Spring Festival holiday, which begins on Feb. 9 this year.

"By selecting Gansu as his first destination, Xi wants to show that the central authorities are concerned about the well-being of the masses, especially the poor," said Xin Ming, a professor with the Party School of the CPC Central Committee.

Bordering the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, the Inner Mongolia Plateau and the Loess Plateau, Gansu is one of China's poorest provinces. The annual net per capita income of local farmers in 2012 stood at 4,507 yuan (723 U.S. dollars).

China has made remarkable achievements in both economic and social development, but many places in China are far from being rich, Prof. Xin said.

During the CPC's 18th National Congress held last year, the CPC set a goal of completing building a moderately prosperous society in all respects by 2020. "If some people are left out in the process of building a more prosperous China, then the goal will become merely empty talk," Xin said.

"As the CPC's top leader, Xi has to make sure that no one is left behind in China's modernization drive," he said.

During Xi's visit, he emphasized that officials should work hard and lead the people by exhibiting quality work styles.

Xi also asked CPC officials to head for less-developed areas where people are in urgent need of help.

"What China's leadership needs to do now is tackle pressing issues, convey a message of hope and confidence to the public and motivate the public to get involved in the country's development," Prof. Xin said.