China releases guideline on winning battle against poverty

BEIJING -- China released a guideline Sunday on winning the battle against poverty in the next three years to prepare the nation for eradicating poverty by 2020.

It is an arduous task to lift a further 30 million people out of poverty in the next three years, said the guideline released by the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the State Council.

The guideline reiterates the country's target of lifting all rural poor and impoverished counties out of poverty and eliminating absolute poverty by 2020 to build a moderately prosperous society.

Poor population should be guaranteed food and clothing and children from poor families should be guaranteed nine-year compulsory education. Basic medical needs and living conditions of poor population should also be guaranteed, according to the guideline.

The guideline said poverty relief work should be focused on areas in deep poverty, such as Tibet, mountainous Liangshan Yi autonomous prefecture in Sichuan province and Nujiang Lisu autonomous prefecture in Yunnan province.

Targeted poverty relief work is stressed in the guideline with emphasis on fostering distinctive industries, supporting employment, advancing relocation, ecological restoration and strengthening education.

The guideline also lists other poverty alleviation measures, including accelerating infrastructure construction in poor areas, increasing fiscal and financial support, social mobilization, strengthening and improving Party leadership in poverty reduction.