Xi urges maximum disaster relief effort

Bijie pilot area

In another instruction, Xi urged intensified and more targeted efforts to ensure the Bijie pilot area in Guizhou province will win the battle against poverty by 2020.

Xi said it is also important to take on a long-term perspective and plan ahead to secure the alignment of the area's development with the rural vitalization strategy after 2020, when the country is expected to finish the building of a moderately prosperous society.

It is also important to pro-mote green development, development of human resources and innovation in systems and mechanisms to build the pilot area into a demonstration area for implementing the new development philosophy, he said.

Bijie, once the poorest region in Guizhou, was named a pilot area for poverty alleviation and ecological development by the State Council in 1988.

Over the past 30 years and under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee, the Bijie pilot area has seen great changes with arduous efforts from officials and the people as well as support from society, Xi said.

The pilot area has become a vivid example of poor areas shaking off poverty, and members from the united front have taken part extensively, offered help in their capacities and made important contributions, he said.

The united front involves joint efforts with other parties, led by the CPC. Members from the united front should continue to support the reform and development of the pilot area and stick to and expand advantages of the system of Party-led multiparty cooperation in the practice of socialism with Chinese characteristics, he said.

Hou Liqiang contributed to this story.