GUIYANG -- Chinese Vice-President Xi Jinping urged Southwest Guizhou province to reduce poverty in its ethnic regions and to speed up its economic restructuring while conducting an inspection tour in the province.

Xi, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, visited villages, urban communities, companies, colleges and research institutes in Guizhou, a province home to 49 of China's ethnic minorities, from Sunday to Wednesday.

Xi urged governments at all levels to implement the central government's poverty reduction blueprint and to help ethnic regions to develop in a self-reliant manner. Xi also urged the Guizhou local government to close the "wealth gap" between it and other developed regions.

Xi also urged the province to accelerate its economic restructuring by taking advantage of west China's developmental momentum.

While visiting the Guizhou Weng Fu Group, a producer of phosphorus coal, Xi praised their practice of improving efficiency through technological innovation.

Xi said Guizhou should develop emerging industries of strategic importance and boost indigenous innovation.

While visiting a tree farm, Xi urged the province to heed environmental protection regulations while developing its economy.

Xi also stressed the importance of social management and development of local CPC organizations during his inspection tour.