BEIJING, Aug. 23 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang has called for more efforts to boost growth momentum and improve people's livelihood in the country's less-prosperous western regions.

Western areas should continue with reform and opening-up and vigorously innovate to achieve high-quality development, said Li, who is also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and head of the State Council leading group on the development of western regions.

At a meeting of the leading group on Tuesday, the premier acknowledged the economic and social achievements in the regions, which have supported the country's development and offered significant assistance for the national strategy.

Li described the development in western regions as "a crucial and difficult point" for China to become a moderately prosperous society in all respects and achieve modernization.

Western areas should channel more energy into industrial upgrades, and make more contributions to a stable national economy, Li said.