'Arduous tasks' lie ahead in poverty fight

Remaining poor areas will be 'most difficult', so use practical steps, Xi tells NPC deputies

The toughest battle that President Xi Jinping might face in the next two years, judging from his remarks at the top legislature's annual session, will be eliminating poverty in the world's most populous country.

"We are facing tough and arduous tasks to reduce poverty in the following two years, and the remaining are the most impoverished and difficult places, which are hard bones to chew," Xi said during a discussion on March 7 with lawmakers from Gansu province.