A more arduous task

If double-digit economic growth has proved a powerful weapon to beat poverty, Chinese policymakers now need to brace for an uphill struggle against destitution amid economic slowdown at home and abroad.

It is now clear that poverty is not going to be history any time soon. International optimism on that score has basically evaporated as the world economy is hit increasingly hard by the worsening global financial crisis.

While the Chinese government takes every measure to save its economy from a hard landing, the country's task to fight poverty also becomes more tough and urgent than ever.

China has achieved remarkable progress in poverty reduction over the past three decades when economic growth averaged about 10 percent. Statistics show that more than 200 million people have been lifted out of absolute poverty since 1978. Yet, with its economic growth having slowed to 9 percent in the third quarter and poised to decelerate further in coming months, if not years, the country faces a mounting challenge in meeting the goal set in a 2001 outline of providing people in need with adequate food and clothing in 10 years.

Worse, a rapid slowdown of the national economy may even threaten to throw more people back into poverty, undermining the country's efforts to fight poverty.

The country's population in absolute poverty, with an annual per capita income of no more than 785 yuan (US$115) was reduced to only 14.79 million last year. But the low-income population, with an annual per capita income between 786 yuan and 1,067 yuan, still stood at 28.41 million.

It is more than likely that low-income families will suffer more than other groups during an overall economic slowdown.

Therefore, policymakers must make more efforts to ensure that the stimulus measures they take to boost economic growth can also benefit people at the bottom end of the income league.

As a meeting on poverty alleviation on Tuesday, Vice Premier Hui Liangyu called on governments at all levels to step up efforts to fight poverty and carry out more favorable policies to help the poor.

In spite of the current economic woes, the Chinese government decided last month to expand poverty alleviation programs to cover not only people in absolute poverty but also the low-income population.

To help the big population mired in poverty and expedite development of poverty-stricken regions is not an easy task even during economic booms. Nevertheless, the more difficult the task becomes, the harder policymakers should work to accomplish this worthwhile mission.

(China Daily 11/27/2008 page8)