Introduction

China’s remarkable progress in poverty alleviation has been a global success story, with the country lifting over 800 million people out of poverty since the launch of its reform and opening-up policy in 1978. This achievement is largely attributed to the targeted Poverty-alleviation strategy implemented by the Chinese government, which has been the focus of a recent white paper titled “Poverty Alleviation: China’s Experience and Contribution.”

China’s Poverty-Alleviation Strategy

Targeted Approach

The targeted poverty-alleviation strategy, introduced in 2013, focuses on identifying and assisting poverty-stricken individuals and households based on their specific circumstances. This approach ensures that resources are allocated efficiently and effectively to those who need them the most.

The targeted approach involves:

1. Identifying poor households and individuals
2. Determining the causes of their poverty
3. Implementing tailored measures to help them escape poverty

Precision in Poverty Identification

China has developed a comprehensive system for identifying poor households and individuals, which includes:

1. Income-based identification: Households with an annual per capita income below the national poverty line are considered poor.
2. Multidimensional poverty identification: Factors such as access to education, healthcare, and housing are also considered when identifying poor households.

Five-Batch Policy

China’s poverty-alleviation strategy categorizes poor households into five batches based on their specific circumstances:

1. Households with the ability to work and engage in production
2. Households that lack labor capacity but can be helped through social security policies
3. Households that need to be relocated due to adverse living conditions
4. Households that require support through education and training
5. Households that require temporary assistance due to illness or natural disasters

Poverty-Alleviation Measures

Based on the specific needs of each batch, the Chinese government has implemented various measures to help poor households escape poverty:

1. Industrial development: Promoting the development of industries suitable for poverty-stricken areas, such as agriculture, tourism, and e-commerce.
2. Employment assistance: Providing vocational training and job opportunities for the poor.
3. Relocation: Moving poor households from areas with adverse living conditions to more habitable areas with better access to public services.
4. Education support: Ensuring access to education for children from poor families and providing vocational training for adults.
5. Healthcare assistance: Improving access to healthcare services and providing financial support for medical expenses.

Achievements in Poverty Alleviation

Reduction in Poverty

As a result of the targeted poverty-alleviation strategy, China has achieved a significant reduction in poverty:

In 2020, China announced that it had eradicated absolute poverty, with the remaining 5.51 million poor people lifted out of poverty.

Improvements in Living Standards

The targeted poverty-alleviation strategy has also led to significant improvements in the living standards of the poor:

1. Income growth: The per capita disposable income of rural residents in poor areas increased from CNY 6,079 in 2013 to CNY 12,588 in 2020.
2. Access to education: The net enrollment rate of children from poor families in compulsory education reached 99.8% in 2020.
3. Access to healthcare: The proportion of poor people participating in basic medical insurance schemes reached 99.9% in 2020.
4. Housing conditions: From 2013 to 2020, more than 9.6 million poor people were relocated to more habitable areas.

Challenges and Future Prospects

Remaining Challenges

Despite the remarkable achievements in poverty alleviation, China still faces challenges in consolidating the progress made and preventing the recurrence of poverty:

1. Maintaining stable income growth for the formerly poor population
2. Ensuring the sustainability of poverty-alleviation industries
3. Providing continuous support for vulnerable groups, such as the elderly, disabled, and children
4. Addressing relative poverty and the urban-rural income gap

Long-term Strategy

To address these challenges and maintain the progress made in poverty alleviation, China has developed a long-term strategy that focuses on:

1. Rural revitalization: Promoting the integrated development of rural areas through industrial upgrading, infrastructure improvement, and public service enhancement.
2. Human capital development: Investing in education and vocational training to improve the skills and competitiveness of the rural labor force.
3. Social security system: Strengthening the social safety net to provide support for vulnerable groups and prevent the recurrence of poverty.
4. Regional coordination: Promoting balanced development across regions to narrow the urban-rural income gap and address relative poverty.

Conclusion

China’s targeted poverty-alleviation strategy has been a remarkable success, lifting millions out of poverty and significantly improving the living standards of the poor. The experience and lessons learned from China’s poverty-alleviation efforts can provide valuable insights for other countries seeking to reduce poverty and promote sustainable development.

As China embarks on its long-term strategy to consolidate the progress made and address the remaining challenges, the country remains committed to building a moderately prosperous society and achieving common prosperity for all its citizens.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. What is the targeted poverty-alleviation strategy?
   The targeted poverty-alleviation strategy is an approach adopted by the Chinese government to identify and assist poverty-stricken individuals and households based on their specific circumstances, ensuring that resources are allocated efficiently and effectively to those who need them the most.

2. How does China identify poor households and individuals?
   China uses a comprehensive system for identifying poor households and individuals, which includes income-based identification (households with an annual per capita income below the national poverty line) and multidimensional poverty identification (considering factors such as access to education, healthcare, and housing).

3. What are the main measures implemented under the targeted poverty-alleviation strategy?
   The main measures implemented under the targeted poverty-alleviation strategy include industrial development, employment assistance, relocation, education support, and healthcare assistance, tailored to the specific needs of different categories of poor households.

4. How successful has China’s poverty-alleviation strategy been?
   China’s poverty-alleviation strategy has been highly successful, with the country lifting over 800 million people out of poverty since 1978. In 2020, China announced that it had eradicated absolute poverty, with the remaining 5.51 million poor people lifted out of poverty.

5. What challenges does China face in maintaining the progress made in poverty alleviation?
   China faces challenges in consolidating the progress made and preventing the recurrence of poverty, such as maintaining stable income growth for the formerly poor population, ensuring the sustainability of poverty-alleviation industries, providing continuous support for vulnerable groups, and addressing relative poverty and the urban-rural income gap.