People's Daily article explains China's approach to poverty battle

The People's Daily, the flagship newspaper of the Communist Party of China (CPC), on Monday published an article explaining China's approach to reducing poverty.

The article by Liu Yongfu, director of the State Council Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development, said the country's poverty relief campaign had used the concept of sharing.

China has set a target of building a moderately prosperous society by 2020, including the complete eradication of poverty. This requires the benefits of development to be shared by all people, according to the article.

It said that the poverty campaign covered sustenance, education, medical care and housing, which showed that sharing was comprehensive.

It said responsibility for eliminating poverty should be shared, as both people in poverty and the entire society needed to be mobilized.

Another concept of poverty relief work is people-centered development, which reflects the CPC's principle of serving the people and respecting people's strength and initiative, it said.

The article also hailed precise measures in eradicating poverty such as the establishing of a system to keep track of every household and individual in poverty so that the treatments will be effective. Removal of people from this system who have escaped poverty will be strictly carried out.

From 2013 to 2016, 55.64 million rural people were lifted out of poverty in China.

Since the central leadership issued a key decision on poverty relief in November 2015, the general offices of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council have issued 12 relevant documents.

Since 2013, investment earmarked by the central authority for poverty relief has increased by 22.7 percent on average annually.

The article mentioned the supervision of poverty relief, and said local government performances in poverty relief were placed under strict assessment, and non-Communist parties, the public and media were all encouraged to supervise government work.

Liu stressed the CPC leadership and advanced nature of socialism with Chinese characteristics as a fundamental guarantee of success in poverty relief.

He said the reform and opening up and the healthy development of the economy were a basic condition for progress on poverty.

With scientific plans and active, steady steps, the country's poverty eradication will advance with economic and social development, according to the article.