1st LD: President Xi to give iron hand to polluters

President Xi Jinping vowed here Friday to give an iron hand to any polluters in China.

"We are going to punish, with an iron hand, any violators who destroy ecology or environment, with no exceptions," said Xi, while reviewing the work report of the State Council together with National People's Congress (NPC) deputies from Jiangxi Province.

He asked the Chinese to protect ecology and environment like to "care one's own eyes and life," showing his resolve to curb widespread pollution that is choking the world's second largest economy.

"Protecting environment is ensuring livelihood," Xi said.

His remarks echoed China's government work report that has demonstrated the world's most populous country's determination to cut corruption.

"Environmental pollution is a blight on people's quality of life and a trouble that weighs on their hearts," it said. "We must fight it with all our might."

Talking with the Jiangxi deputies, Xi also pledged to advance the battle against corruption and governing of the Communist Party of China (CPC), urging to pluck the "rotten trees, cure the sick trees and straighten the crooked trees."

Supervision over the officials, especially the CPC officials, should be strengthened, he said. Endi