President tells NPC deputies that the lives and health of the public should be protected at all costs

The people-centered development philosophy demonstrates the belief and mission of the Communist Party of China, and it must be unswervingly upheld, President Xi Jinping said on Friday.

The CPC does not have any exclusive interests for itself, and it has put the people's interests in first place all the time, said Xi, who is also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee.

Xi made the remarks while taking part in a meeting with deputies from the delegation of the Inner Mongolia autonomous region to the third session of the 13th National People's Congress.

Since the very beginning of the novel coronavirus outbreak, the Party has upheld the principle of putting the people's lives and health as the top priority, mobilized the most excellent doctors, the most advanced equipment and the most urgently needed resources across the nation, and spared no efforts to treat patients, with all medical costs covered by the country, Xi said.

The people's lives and health should be protected at all costs, Xi said, adding that the government should make continuous efforts and remain alert on disease control and prevention to prevent a resurgence of COVID-19.

The people are the most solid foundation for the Party's governance, Xi said. In the fight against the disease, the people across the nation have formed unshakable forces under the Party's leadership, he added.

Xi said officials must always keep in mind that their power is granted by the people, and that power can only be used to bring benefits to the people.

The Party has taken strong measures to punish corrupt behavior since the 18th National Congress of the CPC in 2012, Xi said, adding that more efforts should be made to fight against formalism and bureaucracy.

The aim of promoting economic and social development is to meet the people's aspiration for a better life, and officials should put the people's livelihood at the heart of their work and help the people address issues they are most concerned about, including employment, education, healthcare, housing, pensions, food safety and social security, Xi said.

He encouraged officials to make continuous efforts from one year to another to ensure the people gain tangible benefits.

Five deputies from Inner Mongolia delivered speeches during the meeting on issues such as poverty reduction, grassland ecological protection, the function of Party branches, animal disease prevention, ethnic unity and education.

During the discussion, Xi also stressed the importance of issues such as ethnic unity, poverty reduction, the employment of college graduates, migrant farmers and veterans, the improvement of the disease prevention system, and the protection of the ecological environment.

In January 2018, Xi was unanimously elected by the People's Congress of the Inner Mongolia autonomous region as a deputy to the 13th National People's Congress.

On Friday afternoon, Li Zhanshu, Wang Yang, Wang Huning, Zhao Leji and Han Zheng, who are all members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, took part in meetings with the delegations of the regions that elected them to the NPC.