BEIJING — President Xi Jinping has urged civil affairs authorities to better fulfill their duties by focusing on poverty alleviation, special groups and public concerns.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the statement in an instruction read at a national civil affairs conference held in Beijing on April 2.

Identifying civil affairs work as a fundamental aspect of social development, Xi called on Party committees and governments at various levels to be committed to a people-centered approach, strengthen leadership over the civil affairs work and enhance civil affairs services at the primary level.

Civil affairs organs should better perform their duties of ensuring basic livelihood security, strengthening social governance at the primary level, and providing basic social services, to make new contributions to finishing the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects and turning China into a modern socialist country, Xi said.

Premier Li Keqiang, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, meets with participants of a national civil affairs conference in Beijing, capital of China, April 2, 2019. [Photo/Xinhua]

When meeting with participants of the meeting, Premier Li Keqiang acknowledged the progress made in this area and stressed the tough tasks ahead.

Premier Li asked the civil affairs departments to implement the policies of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council and make sure people living below the minimum living standards and those in exceptional difficulties receive sufficient support.