2016年CRI President Xi urges more anti-poverty efforts in Ningxia（在线收听）

During the meeting in the region's capital Yinchuan, President Xi urged developed regions in the east to help their partner regions in the west to better fight poverty.

He noted the strategy to pair eastern and western regions in poverty relief has proved to be conducive to coordinated development and common prosperity.

"China has used the strategy for 20 years and has established a comprehensive and multi-level assistance system. The widening gap between the east and west has been curbed and significant progress has been made in reducing poverty in poor western areas and old revolutionary base areas. Cooperation between paired eastern and western regions in poverty alleviation must continue for a long time."

He also stressed that eastern regions should make more efforts to aid western regions and officials in the western regions should have a sense of urgency and be proactive in the fight against poverty.

"Local Party chiefs and government heads in both the east and west should personally push for poverty alleviation and consider it a major task. More efforts are needed to better implement related policies and make the policies more targeted and preferential for those really in need."

He suggested eastern regions should gradually increase financial aid to the west, based on the improvement of their financial status, while the regions in the west should take measures to ensure their proper allocation.

He also encouraged cooperation between paired counties, townships and villages in the country's east and the west.

The president also said industries in the east should gradually be moved west to help alleviate poverty, while helping the poor not only financially, but also in education, culture, health, science and technology.

He said officials will be assessed not only for efforts they make, but also on the effectiveness of their measures, adding that officials should be held accountable and punished for any failures.

He also proposed the transfer of talented personnel.

"It's necessary to encourage officials with ambitions and a sense of dedication to come to the west and improve themselves while dealing with difficulties here."

At the end of 2014, China had 70 million people living below the nation's poverty line of 2,300 yuan (about 343 U.S. dollars) in annual income based on 2010 constant prices. Almost all of them live in rural areas, particularly in the west.

China aims to eliminate poverty by 2020, when its 13th Five-Year Plan is completed.

For CRI, this is Niu Hong Lin.