Another ten million people to be lifted out of poverty in 2018

Zhu Youyong, a NPC deputy from Yunnan and also an academician of Chinese Academy of Engineering, showed a potato in an interview with journalists during the “two sessions”. According to Zhu, the potato was planted in south Yunnan’s Lancang County, with the aid of his team in an efforts to lift local rural poor population out of poverty. Photo by Lei Tongsu

According to the Report on the Work of the Government delivered by Chinese Premier Li Keqiang at this year’s “two sessions”, China will step up targeted poverty alleviation. The goal is to further reduce the poor rural population by more than ten million, including 2.8 million people who are to be relocated from inhospitable areas.

By the end of 2017, China’s rural poor population decreased by 12.89 million people and the poverty headcount ratio dropped by 1.4 points to 3.1 percent compared to the end of the previous year. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, China has cumulatively reduced its poor rural population by 68.53 million people and the population living in absolute poverty by more than two-thirds, thus achieving decisive progress through the country’s poverty alleviation efforts.

 “As poverty alleviation becomes increasingly difficult, it will take more targeted measures to fulfil our goals of reducing the poor population by ten million this year,” said Wang Sangui, director of China Poverty Alleviation Research Institute at Renmin University of China

The Report on the Work of the Government pointed out that more will be done to alleviate poverty through the development of local industry, education and healthcare. This will also be aided by the development and conservation of local natural resources. China will tailor these measures to individuals and households to ensure that targeted poor populations—including elderly people, people with disabilities, and people with serious diseases—receive the assistance they need. China will also take measures against corruption and misconduct in poverty alleviation schemes, while also improving the methods used in evaluation and oversight.

Editor: Wang Shixue