President Xi Jinping talks with delegates during a group discussion at the third session of the 12th National People's Congress, in Beijing, March 8. [Photo/ Xinhua]

BEIJING -- Chinese President Xi Jinping and other leaders on Sunday urged more efforts to be made on the nation's poverty eradication and faster development in areas with concentrations of ethnic minorities.

While speaking with lawmakers from south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in a panel discussion during the annual session of the National People's Congress (NPC), Xi said targeted measures should be taken to help people lift themselves out of poverty and poverty alleviation work should be done in a timely and down-to-earth manner.

Stress should be laid on economic restructuring, building an open economy full of vitality, as well as expanding and deepening cooperation with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Guangxi, Xi said.

Efforts should be made on advancing the rule of law to create a fair and orderly legal environment for the economy and development, and the legitimate rights of people in the areas with concentrations of ethnic minorities should be protected in the framework of the rule of law, he added.

The Chinese government aims for reducing the poor population by more than 10 million this year, according to the government work report delivered Thursday by Premier Li Keqiang to the NPC annual session.

While speaking with lawmakers from southwest China's Sichuan Province during a panel discussion, Li also called for bigger efforts on the battle against poverty and improving people's living standards.

Sichuan should play a leading role in increasing effective market demand, growing the economy, improving the economic growth quality and profitability, and promoting industrial upgrading in global competition, Li said.