China in 2017: Solid efforts to win battle against poverty

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"Fighting poverty is the fundamental task in building an all-round moderately prosperous society." – Xi Jinping

China has secured decisive progress in the battle against poverty, Chinese President Xi Jinping said in a report at the opening session of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in October.

Poverty alleviation has been one of the country’s core campaigns since 2003, with Xi hoping to fully eradicate poverty by 2020.

2017 has been a year to reflect on the milestones in the fight against poverty, as China enters the final stretch in building a moderately prosperous society.

Nov. 2, 2017: Luozhai Village of Wuqiu Town in Changyuan County, one of the targeted towns in the pilot poverty alleviation project organized by the government of Henan Province. / Xinhua Photo

The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) has lauded the country’s efforts, stating that “China has made great leaps in reducing poverty and reaching the benchmarks laid out in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), lifting more than 500 million of its citizens out of extreme poverty over the last three decades."

'Constant drops wear away a stone'

In the report to the 19th CPC National Congress, Xi said nearly 60 million people have come out of poverty from 2013 to 2016 with the poverty rate being lowered from about 10 percent to below four percent.

"Eradicating poverty has always been a tough battle, while eradicating poverty in extremely poor areas is the hardest fight of all," Xi said at the symposium of poverty relief in Shanxi on June 23.

The income growth of suburban population has surpassed the growth rate of the economy, and the middle-class population continues to expand.

Nov. 1, 2017: A senior couple in front of their house before resettling in Wanghei Village of Sunkou Town in Taiqian County, central China's Henan Province. / Xinhua Photo‍

Jim Yong Kim, president of the World Bank, commended China’s efforts, noting that “the lessons we learned by working in China are very helpful to other middle-income countries.”

Frontline in the fight against poverty

By the end of 2016, a CPC program had sent 775,000 officials to rural areas to aid poverty.

Since 2013, China has introduced 126 poverty alleviation and development plans, including selecting more capable and suitable officials to guide poverty relief work at different levels, said Liu Yongfu, director of the State Council Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development, at a press conference in October.

"We have selected a group of officials in their 40s with rich work experience in rural areas and appointed them to key posts in towns," said county party secretary Hao Guochi.

June 21, 2017: President Xi Jinping (2nd R) checks the water storage of the only drinking water well in Zhaojiawa Village of Kelan County in Xinzhou City, north China's Shanxi Province. / Xinhua Photo‍

The financial support followed. The central and provincial governments have ramped up investment and allotted more than 15 billion US dollars to improving people's well-being for the first time since last year, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

Of this total, the central government allocated more than 9 billion US dollars, up 43.4 percent year-on-year, while provincial government spending rose to more than 6 billion US dollars.

'Tough battle' in the next three years

Targeted poverty reduction will be one of the "three tough battles" for the next three years for China to secure a decisive victory in becoming a moderately prosperous society in all respects, according to the statement issued after the Central Economic Work Conference ended in December.

To realize the goal by 2020, China still needs to lift more than 10 million people out of poverty every year.

President Xi Jinping inspects poverty-relief work in north China's Shanxi Province, June 21, 2017. / Xinhua Photo‍

"Our experiences have proven that abject poverty is not formidable. As long as we pay great attention, think correctly, take effective measures, and work in a down-to-earth way, abject poverty is absolutely conquerable," Xi said.

China will set up a strict evaluation system and insist on annual reporting to ensure that local authorities closely follow and be honest with poverty relief schedules and achievements.

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