BEIJING, Dec. 29 -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Thursday urged efforts to ensure timely and full payment of salaries to rural migrant workers and the strengthening of employment support for the group.

Li made the remarks while instructing a work conference of the leading group of the State Council on eradicating wage arrears for migrant workers from rural areas.

Efforts should be made to strengthen joint law enforcement of multiple authorities and investigations in those fields where wage arrears are prone to occur more frequently.

The country will severely punish malicious violations related to wage payment according to law, and will implement the policy of withholding deposits from employers, to ensure timely and full wage payments to rural migrant workers, Li said.

Stressing the work to step up assistance to rural migrant workers, Li said the country should offer unemployment compensation and assistance in time to those who have lost their jobs or are in difficulties to secure the basic livelihoods of the people.

Chinese Vice Premier Hu Chunhua, also head of the leading group, attended the meeting and called for solid efforts in safeguarding the lawful rights and interests of migrant workers from rural areas.

Hu urged efforts to strengthen the protection of migrant rural workers with difficulties, assist them through multiple channels and stabilize employment of the group.