国内英语新闻:Chinese premier urges efforts to improve people's livelihood

XINING, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang has stressed solving problems facing people's livelihood through development, and continuously improving the living standards of people of all ethnic groups.

Li, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, made the remarks during his inspection tour in northwest China's Qinghai Province from Tuesday to Wednesday.

In his visit to a market in Xining, the provincial capital, Li said measures should be taken to guarantee the supply of food, especially beef, pork and lamb, and stabilize prices during the upcoming Spring Festival.

In a village inhabited by Han and Tibetan people, Li checked their living conditions and sent his festival greetings. He said the western region should promote a new type of urbanization and give full play to the leading role of major cities, so as to provide more job opportunities for the farmers and lift them out of poverty.

When checking the site of a road collapse accident that had previously occurred in Xining, Li urged local authorities to carefully check and rectify the hidden dangers of public facilities, and ensure the quality of new projects.

Regarding the control of the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV), all localities should further improve and implement detailed prevention measures in time, said the premier while visiting Qinghai Red Cross Hospital.

Medical personnel should try their best to treat patients and contain the epidemic, and take precautions themselves, Li urged.

During his visit to an old residential community, Li said progress had been made in improving housing conditions thanks to the large-scale shantytown renovation in the past few years.

He called for cooperative efforts between government and residents to improve the renovation of old residential communities and enrich public services including elderly care, medical treatment, catering and cleaning to enhance people's livelihood, especially for elderly people and children.

When visiting a restaurant, he urged more efforts to guarantee food safety.

Li applauded the achievements Qinghai has made in economic growth in recent years and called for new progress.