GUIYANG, April 12 (Xinhua) -- Authorities in southwest China's Guizhou Province will relocate 480,000 people to more hospitable places by the end of June as part of its poverty-relief campaign.

The province plans to relocate a total of 1.88 million poor people living in harsh natural environment during the 13th five-year plan period (2016-2020).

By the end of March, 1.4 million people have already been relocated. Authorities have built 439,000 houses at 925 sites.

The province plans to finish the relocation target by the first half of the year.

As a mountainous and less developed province, Guizhou has undertaken to relocate one third of its poverty-stricken population, which represents about one-sixth of the disadvantaged people in China that need to be relocated.

China has set 2020 as the deadline to eradicate poverty. Guizhou lifted 1.2 million people out of poverty in 2017.