1st Ld-Writethru: China pledges to narrow income gap in 2016-2020
Xinhua, November 3, 2015 Adjust font size:
China will adjust its income distribution system and narrow the income gap in the next five years, a document from the Communist Party of China (CPC) said Tuesday.
China's aims to "significantly" increase the wages of the low-income population, and increase the proportion of middle-income group, according to proposals released by the CPC Central Committee on formulating the 13th five-year plan (2016-2020) for national economic and social development.
A more comprehensive income tax system will be accelerated and "grey" income, money obtained from unclear sources, should be regulated, said the document.
As China prospers, income equality has emerged as a major social issue.
According to the National Bureau of Statistics, China's Gini index dropped for six consecutive years to 0.469 in 2014. However, it remains above the international warning line of 0.4, which suggests a comparatively large income gap. Endite