Premier Li Visits Shanty Town, Talks About Planned Improvements

Premier Li Keqiang spent part of his first work day of the new year on Monday morning in a shanty neighborhood in Xinghualing District in Taiyuan, the capital of Shanxi Province, where he spoke with residents about their living conditions and the government's plans to improve them, according to a report by China Daily.

The shanty neighborhood of Xiaobeiguan houses 830 households. All of the community's residents share one toilet and one faucet.

Xiaobeiguan is one of at least 80 shanty towns in Taiyuan.

Premier Li spent part of his time in Xiaobeiguan in the house of Li Fanyu, a 78-year-old resident whose rundown home was built in the 1950s.

Premier Li was told that Li Fanyu's situation was not uncommon in Taiyuan, a district around 500 kilometers from Beijing. Upon hearing this, Premier Li became emotional.

"Haven't you seen that these people are still living in such conditions? There are way too many things left to be done in China!" Premier Li said to some of the accompanying ministers.

Premier Li told the residents of Xiaobeiguan that he understood their hardship.

"We'll let you live in new buildings as soon as possible," Premier Li told the residents of Xiaobeiguan, as they bade him goodbye.

The renovation of shanty towns has been a priority of the government.

"Renovation of shanty towns raises many low-income families' hopes for improving their living conditions and is also a focal point in pushing forward people-oriented urbanization," Premier Li told a national work conference in October.

During his tour in Shanxi, Premier Li also visited Taiyuan Iron & Steel (Group) Co., which is currently facing hard times. He told the company and its workers that its moves in recent years to diversify to other products related to the iron and steel industry is a step in the right direction.

"Developing with some diversity will help the company stand stronger in facing unexpected challenges," said Premier Li.