Consolidate and Expand the Gains in Poverty Alleviation

The Central Conference on Poverty Alleviation and Development was held in Beijing on December 29 and 30. Liu Yongfu, director of the State Council Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development, reported the work of China’s poverty alleviation at the conference. He also presented an analysis of the current situation and announced the government’s next-step arrangements for dovetailing poverty alleviation and rural revitalization.

The year 2021 marks the 100th anniversary of the Communist Party of China and the first year of the 14th Five-Year Plan period. The meeting stressed that we should take consolidating our gains in poverty alleviation as top priority, make a smooth transition to rural revitalization and amplify our achievements. We must make sure that our people who have risen out of poverty not fallen back into poverty and help them move toward prosperity.

“We will consolidate our achievements in poverty alleviation, continue our policies, and ensure our assistance in rural areas. Financial departments at all levels should increase their support and meet corresponding demands. We will also improve and effectively utilize mechanisms for monitoring and assisting people who fall back into poverty. Follow-up support, includes employment, will be provided to people relocated from inhospitable areas,” Liu said. “We will encourage our people to lift their living standards by themselves and strengthen the establishment of poverty-relief funds and microcredit.”

Liu Yongfu said that to effectively promote both poverty alleviation and rural revitalization, it is necessary to carry out targeted poverty alleviation plans. We will dovetail and implement poverty alleviation policies released by the central government, and optimize relevant regional policies. We will continue to promote both poverty alleviation and rural revitalization in an all-out effort through consolidating and expanding our results and further implementing measures in the 14th Five-Year Plan. We will also support the industries in rural areas to flourish. We will create more channels for rural residents to find employment and increase their incomes, deepen collaboration on poverty alleviation between the eastern and western regions, and help rural residents seek employment or start a business in places close to their homes. We will as well build infrastructures in rural areas under the unified deployment of the government. Roads, railways, water conservancy facilities, and telecommunications facilities will greatly improve people’s living and production conditions.

Besides, we will improve public services and continue to strengthen the conditions of compulsory education and healthcare in rural areas. Key counties in need of support in rural revitalization that are to be identified by central and local governments should be given special assistance. At the same time, the result of poverty alleviation will be taken as part of local officials’ performance evaluation.

Contributed by Li Hui, Guangming Daily reporter at Beijing

Translated by Ren Meiqi