Xi stresses poverty relief for old revolutionary base areas

President and General Secretary of the Communist Party of China Central CommitteeXi Jinping(R front), also chairman of the Central Military Commission, greets locals while making an inspection on ancient wall protection in Xi'an, the capital of Northwest China's Shaanxi province, Feb 15, 2015. Xi made a tour in Shaanxi on Feb 13 - 16, and extended festival greetings to locals and people across the nation ahead of the Spring Festival, which falls on Feb 19. [Photo/Xinhua]

Calling the "Yan'an spirit" of veteran revolutionaries and Party members the "spiritual treasure" of the Communist Party of China (CPC), Xi said strength should be drawn from it to ensure strict Party discipline and close Party-people relationship.

Xi visited the Fuzhou Hope Primary School at Yangjialing, Yan'an, which was built with donations from Fuzhou city, capital of Southeast China's Fujian province, in 1995 when Xi was Party chief.

He said that education was very important as it was the key to development and more attention should be given to primary education.

Xi stressed that "core technology cannot be acquired by begging alms." Instead, one's own effort is needed, he said when inspecting Xi'an Institute of Optics and Precision Mechanics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) on Sunday.

The president encouraged those working in the technology sector to be innovative, confident and responsible.

When visiting Xi'an Museum, Xi said a museum was a school and the relics should be treated with care, as they were the country's cultural history.

He also climbed up the ancient wall in the city to check up on preservation work.