Chinese Premier Li Keqiang has demanded more to done to improve the skills of people who have been relocated as part of poverty relief efforts.

China plans to end poverty by 2020, in part by relocating 10 million people over the next 5 years from barren or geographically disadvantaged areas to start new lives elsewhere.

"Alleviating poverty through relocation is a key aspect of our strategy," Li said in a message to a national meeting on the matter.

The two-day meeting ended on Tuesday in Guiyang, capital of southwest China's Guizhou Province.

There are still around 70 million people living below the poverty line in China, many in harsh conditions without roads, water or power.

"Fighting poverty is an arduous, complicated and urgent task, which demands a strong sense of responsibility and mission," Li said.