Safeguard the rights of those living in extreme poverty

At least 70 million people are still living in "extreme poverty" in China, according to official data. Further, a recent Xinhua News Agency report featured real living conditions in poverty-stricken areas. The report revealed that in one village, 1,100 of the 1,200 residents were illiterate and the villagers only had meat to eat only three times a year. Comments:

The poverty shown in the Xinhua report means the programs to aid the poor over the past decades have failed. In order to heal the ills of extreme poverty, the right prescription lies in not only offering subsidies to those living in poverty, but also improving infrastructure, strengthening education, and offering training programs so that they can earn a sustainable living. Of course, it is necessary to strengthen disciplinary supervision in the process so that investments in infrastructure construction are not embezzled by local bureaucrats.

Beijing News, June 24