|
China to beef up efforts on poverty reduction
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2005-01-30 08:51
A senior Chinese official said here Saturday that China would strengthen
efforts on poverty reduction, saying that it is a strong commitment of the
Chinese government to its people and the United Nations' Millennium programs.
Liu Jian, director of China's State Council Leading Group for Aid-the-Poor
Development, told the annual meeting of World Economic Forum that many
challenges exist despite the remarkable achievements the country has made during
the past over 20 year.
Addressing a session dedicated to China's economy, Liu said the majority of
China's poor population lives in rural areas due to historical reasons. In 1978,
China had 250 million poor people, representing a poverty incidence of 30
percent.
With 25-year unremitting efforts, the poor areas have witnessed significant
improvements in their production and living conditions and the number of
inadequately fed and clothed poor has declined to around 30 million,
representing a poverty incidence of 3 percent.
Liu said China has explored out a poverty reduction road adapted to the
Chinese reality in the poverty reduction and development process, which is
characterized by "government playing a leading role, social participation,
self-reliance of the poor, development-based poverty reduction and all-round
coordinated development".
According to Liu, China would adhere to people-centered development strategy
under the guideline of scientific concept of development.
China would also be dedicated to establishing a more effective poverty
reduction mechanism by helping people help themselves.
China also attaches great importance to the exchanges and collaboration with
international organizations on poverty reduction.
"We hope the developed countries would answer the call for fighting poverty
in the world and make concrete efforts to this end by increasing aid and trade
to the developing countries," Liu stressed.
|
