PRESIDENT Xi STRESSES THREE TOUGH BATTLES

BEIJING : Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday urged solid efforts to win the "three-tough battles'' of -

Preventing financial risks, reducing poverty and tackling pollution.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China [CPC] Central committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks at the first meeting of the Central Committee for Financial and Economic affairs.

Preventing and defusing financial risks is relevant to national security, overall-development, and the security of people's property, and is a key threshold that the country must cross -

To achieve high-quality growth, said Xi head of the Central Committee for Financial and Economic Affairs.

China has made progress in its fight against poverty, a battle that must be won, according to Xi.

Environmental issues are a major concern for the public and are decisive to Chinese people's judgment of the successful building a moderately prosperous society in all respects, according to Xi.

To prevent and defuse financial risks, China should reduce the leverage ratio of local government and companies especially state-owned enterprises, according to statement released after the meeting.

China should also encourage the use of clean energy and the use of coal in its fight against pollution, according to the statement. [Xinhua]