Poverty alleviation must persist beyond 2020

The "decisive fight" the government is spearheading against poverty, targeted at an official farewell to the curse of absolute poverty and the dawning of an all-round well-off society is set to be won.

That this has been a hard-won victory cannot be doubted. It is cause for reflection to learn on the sixth national Poverty Alleviation Day, also the 27th International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, that nationwide more than 770 officials had sacrificed their lives in the cause of poverty relief by the end of June.

The most common causes of death have been overwork and natural disaster-related accidents. Flash summer floods and landslides, for instance, were frequently responsible.