The importance of environmental protection was highlighted by NPC deputies from the Inner Mongolia autonomous region during a panel discussion attended by President Xi Jinping on Tuesday.

Yu Lixin, a deputy to the National People's Congress and Party secretary of the city of Hulun Buir, said the city will implement Xi's important instructions on environmental protection and ecological restoration.

After the city halted cutting trees in April 2015, a total of 26,300 logging workers got new jobs protecting forests, Yu said, adding that the city has focused on environmental protection and restoration in recent years.

"During the panel discussion, the general secretary asked me about the employment of logging workers, which shows his great attention to the livelihoods of the people," he said after the discussion.

Gong Mingzhu, an NPC deputy and director of the Development and Reform Commission of Inner Mongolia, said the coal-rich autonomous region will focus on increasing the added value of coal resources and building a modern industrial system.

The autonomous region will also expand the exploitation of clean resources including wind and solar energy and natural gas, he said.

Zhao Jiangtao, an NPC deputy and mayor of Baotou, said Xi has highlighted the importance of the transition of resources-related industries in Inner Mongolia.

"During his inspection tour of Inner Mongolia in January 2014, General Secretary Xi instructed us to focus on the added value of natural resources and change the traditional ways of simply digging coal and earth to pursue development," he recalled.

"We have kept the general secretary's instructions in mind and have been dedicated to the transition of natural resources," he added.

Zhang Jixin, an NPC deputy and Party secretary of the village of Zhongnanqu in Shanba, said that with policy support from the government, his village built more than 1,000 greenhouses for environmentally friendly production of healthy vegetables for urban residents.

"The greenhouses brought in an average of 28,000 yuan ($4,180) in additional income for each villager last year," he said.

It was the second time Xi had attended a panel discussion with NPC deputies from Inner Mongolia since he was elected deputy to the 13th NPC by a unanimous vote at the first session of the region's 13th people's congress in January of last year.