President Xi Jinping visits the wheels workshop of Taiyuan Heavy Industry Railway Transit Equipment Co in Taiyuan, the capital of North China's Shanxi province, while inspecting enterprises in Shanxi on Thursday.

He vows better lives are ahead for poor families

President Xi Jinping has highlighted the importance of poverty reduction amid the Communist Party of China's continuous efforts to build a well-off society.

Poverty alleviation ranks No 1 among the government's projects for improving people's livelihoods, Xi told officials at a conference on Thursday during his inspection tour of North China's Shanxi province.

Xi kicked off the inspection tour of the coal-producing inland province on Wednesday. He visited the houses of poor farmers, paid tribute to revolutionaries, inspected companies and held a conference with local officials.

The government should increase farmers' income from various channels and improve the living conditions in rural areas, said Xi, who is also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee.

The president also required the government to pay much attention to such issues as employment, education, pension, housing, health and food safety to ensure that the public can lead happy lives and the social order is stable.

"The mission of the Party and the government is to serve the people, and it's our duty to make the people's life better and better," Xi said while visiting a family in an impoverished village in mountainous Kelan county on Wednesday.

While visiting another poor family, Xi required the local government to arrange for the education and life of the disabled grandchildren of an elderly woman whose husband and son had died. He also urged officials to pay much attention to the problems of poverty caused by illness.

It is the CPC's solemn promise to lead poor people and impoverished regions to a comprehensive, well-off society, Xi said.

On Thursday, Xi visited two companies in Taiyuan — one that produces wheels for high-speed trains and one that makes carbon fiber. Xi talked with the workers and encouraged them to uphold the spirit of craftsmanship to make more contributions to "made in China".

The companies should improve their capacity in technology, equipment and environmental protection via innovation, Xi said. He encouraged the companies to seize the opportunities of the country's transportation development and Belt and Road construction.

During the conference, Xi urged the upgrade of local economies that previously relied heavily on coal mining. He also vowed to fight corruption and boost clean governance.