President Xi Jinping on Monday inspected poverty alleviation work and ecological protection in northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region.

It is his seventh domestic visit this year, following Yunnan, Beijing, Hubei, Zhejiang, Shaanxi, Shanxi. 

President Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, first visited Hongde Village in Wuzhong City on Monday afternoon. 

With a population of 7,013, the village ended poverty last year through the development of farming and husbandry. It also has a cardboard packaging workshop to offer stable local jobs.

Hongde Village houses several thousand relocated people. 

Poverty alleviation relocation is part of the efforts by local governments across the country to relocate impoverished residents from remote barren and disaster-prone areas to more habitable places. 

China views rural impoverished areas as the biggest challenge in completing the task of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects by 2020.

From 2013 to 2019, China lifted more than 93 million rural residents out of poverty, and by the end of last year, there were still over 5.5 million people living under the poverty line across the country. 

Xi later went to inspect a section of the Yellow River in Wuzhong City, and learned about the ecological and environmental protection.

He also visited a residential community in the city and stressed ethnic unity.

Ningxia has more than 40 ethnic groups, among which the Hui is the largest minority group.

When speaking to residents in the square of Wuzhong's Jinhuayuan Community, he said all ethnic groups are part of the big family of the Chinese nation and no ethnic group should be left behind in the country's fight against poverty, in its building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects and in its drive toward modernization. 

The community is home to more than 13,000 residents, nearly half of whom are of ethnic minority groups. 

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Xi calls on all ethnic groups to join hands for a shared future
  
It represents the fine tradition of the Chinese nation and the great strength of the socialist system with Chinese characteristics to enable people of all ethnic groups to walk hand in hand into a moderately prosperous society in all respects, Xi said. 
  
"With the continuous efforts of the Party and the government as well as the tireless endeavors of the people, the days ahead will surely be better and happier," he added.

Xi also hailed community volunteers' work after learning that an increasing number of local people had been participating in volunteer service. 
  
Wang Lanhua, a 70-year-old volunteer of the Hui ethnic group and a CPC member, said that a local volunteer service team was formed in 2005, with the number of its volunteers increasing from seven in the beginning to currently more than 60,000. 
  
The success of socialism is achieved through hard work and requires concerted efforts of people of all ethnic groups, Xi said. 

Xi urged volunteers to give full play to their role in this regard and expressed thanks for their efforts and contribution. 

(With input from Xinhua)