Internet to aid China to combat poverty

The Internet is playing an important role in helping about 70 million destitute individuals among roughly 1.3 billion Chinese shake off poverty, according to Han Baojiang, an economist from the Party School of the CPC Central Committee.

Han made the remark at a briefing organized by the All-China Journalists Association on Wednesday on the strategic overview of China's 13thFive-Year Plan outlined at the recent Fifth Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee.

"In the remote regions of China,apart from the harsh surroundings, insulation from external information also impedes the development of the families in such areas," Han explained.

The 70 million poverty stricken population,together with the uncompetitive manufacturing, unbalanced development between inland and coastal areas, backward service industry and insufficient domestic consumptions, impose challenges to China in fulfilling its commitment to building a moderately prosperous society by 2020.

With the development of Internet applications,rural villagers now have an efficient platform to market their agriculturalproduce and byproducts. Meanwhile, through online services,destitute families can eventually access occupational training and schooling.

Han pointed out that the development oflogistics can help get products from remote mountainous villages to the cities, resulting in an immediate improvement in livingconditions in such villages.

The Internet also provides a communications link between well-off families with destitute households. According to Han, a group of overseas students used to stay with poverty-stricken families to experience the actual conditions of backward areas. Online services help them make acquaintancewith such families and maintain the friendship after their departure.

The dual structure of urban and rural areas has greatly affected the lives of left-behind children, women and the elderly. Therefore, the urbanization of rural areas is needed so that farmland will not disintegrate into numerous tiny plots that hinder the adoption of agricultural mechanization.

Bylearning from farming in Germany, for example, people can better understand that agriculture should rather be taken as a resort for a change of a lifestyle from cities than simply be considered as a means of food supply, Han said.

"With a lifestyle typified by a slowedrhythm demanded by city residents, agriculture can gradually be transformed into a service industry and it will go beyond the traditional definitions of farmland, farming and farmers," Han said.