Xi Jinping talks with local villagers and cadres at Shibadong Village in Paibi Township of Huayuan County in the Tujia-Miao Autonomous Prefecture of Xiangxi, central China's Hunan Province, Nov. 3, 2013. (Xinhua/Wang Ye)
During that tour, Xi first put forward the concept of "targeted poverty alleviation," which refers to measures that include a system to keep track of every household and individual in poverty to verify that their treatment is having the desired effect.
For Shi, "targeted poverty alleviation" meant a government subsidy to finance a kiwi fruit plantation for her and her neighbors.
Xi was visibly pleased on learning later that people of Shibadong had finally shaken off poverty.
Xi Jinping poses for a group photo with pupils and teachers of the central primary school in Tokkuzak Township, Shufu County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, April 28, 2014. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi)
He has pledged to lift the country's remaining 40 million impoverished people out of their situation by 2020, a step against poverty unprecedented in human history.
Xi Jinping talks with villagers and local cadres at the home of villager Xu Haicheng in Desheng Village, Xiaoertai Township of Zhangbei County in north China's Hebei Province, on Jan. 24, 2017. (Xinhua/Lan Hongguang)
Securing sustenance for all 1.3 billion people of China is, in itself, a huge accomplishment.
He is determined to bring about even more: better education, more stable jobs, higher incomes, more reliable social insurance, better medical services, more comfortable living conditions, a more beautiful environment and a richer cultural life.
As socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a new era, Xi said the principal contradiction facing Chinese society has evolved into one "between unbalanced and inadequate development and the people's ever-growing needs for a better life."
To meet the needs of the people, Xi is striving to ensure equal access to quality education for every child in the country.
He presided over meetings of the Central Leading Group for Deepening Overall Reform to discuss major medical reforms and made "Healthy China" a national strategy.
A property rights protection system is being improved to give people a greater sense of security.
Reform of household registration system will ensure equal access to public services for more people.
