Premier Wen Jiabao on Sunday called for intensified and consistent efforts to reduce poverty in China's poor areas.

Wen made the urge when he joined a panel discussion with deputies to the Third Session of the 11th National People's Congress (NPC) from southwest China's Guizhou Province.

He noted that the poverty relief work is an uphill journey since the country's impoverished population are mostly resided in the ecologically vulnerable areas, and are apt to return to poverty in face of natural disasters, even though they have been lifted out of poverty.

"We must strive to strengthen the self-development ability of poverty-stricken areas in order to remove the poor population out of poverty as soon as possible and build a firm foundation for a well-off society in an all-around way," Wen said.

Deputies from Guizhou also voiced their opinions on reducing poverty, increasing farmers' income, promoting energy conservation and emission reduction, and fighting against the spread of stony deserts.

(Xinhua News Agency March 8, 2010)