Sitting down with the president before Chinese New Year

It has been a routine for Xi to visit ordinary families ahead of every Chinese New Year since he assumed the country's top job. But the trip this year carries more significance as the country is set to complete building a moderately prosperous society in all respects, a symbolic benchmark of which is the victory in the fight against poverty.

The number of people living under China's national poverty line had dropped from 98.99 million in 2012 to 16.6 million at the end of 2018. In 2019, another 10-million-plus people were lifted out of poverty.

Talking to Li's fellow villagers, Xi said: "As you have cast off poverty and are marching toward new goals, our country will do the same."

Xi said after China achieves building a moderately prosperous society in all respects, it must make all-out efforts to advance rural vitalization to further address issues such as the urban-rural imbalance.

He said rural industries will be boosted, as well as the rural economy, to allow more and more villagers to work near home, increase their income and lead a better life.

"I wish your village of happiness even more happiness," Xi said.