China vows to boost efforts to fight poverty

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Chinese Premier Li Keqiang declared in his annual government work report that China has lifted more than 68 million people out of poverty over the past five years.

But he also said the fight is not yet over, and vowed to boost the country's anti-poverty efforts.

Over 280 billion yuan was allocated for poverty reduction.These figures reflect the Chinese government's commitment to fight poverty over the past five years.

Song Dianyu, mayor of Puyang City from Henan Province, an area that remains impoverished, told CGTN that besides developing local industries, education, and healthcare, more innovative approaches like e-commerce and creating jobs in the renewable energy sector have been introduced, to boost the anti-poverty campaign.

“We set up e-commerce platforms in all of our villages. This helps us sell our high-quality farming produce to other parts of China, and makes industrial output more accessible to our farmers. We also developed solar industries, including small-scale solar power stations. This not only created more job opportunities but also helped people earn a sustainable living.”

The final years of the campaign to eradicate poverty are usually the hardest, according to Shi Bingrui, head of Poverty Alleviation and Development in Henan.

More than two million people remain impoverished in the province.

Shi said wiping out poverty can be achieved not only through preferential policies, but also the backing of stronger and more resilient economic development.

“One of the major reasons for poverty is the underdevelopment of the economy. Only when the economic growth of the entire region is enhanced will there be more channels for poverty-stricken people to make a better living and will the government be able to assist them better."

As the clock ticks on a crucial promise to lift all Chinese out of poverty by 2020, both central and local governments are now entering the final phase of not only alleviating poverty, but also preventing those who have escaped it from falling back into that state.