China lifts 10 million out of poverty

The State Council's weekly policy briefing on Jan 30 in Beijing. [Photo by Wang Zhuangfei/China Daily]

China lifted more than 10 million people out of poverty last year, meeting the target set in March 2014, according to the State Council's Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development.

A press release issued by the LGOP at the State Council's weekly policy briefing on Jan 30 said its poverty alleviation work in 2014 followed Premier Li Keqiang's instructions in a government work report in March that 10 million people should be lifted out of poverty by the end of the year.

It has established a poverty relief mechanism to help the population of 88.62 million living in poverty.

Under this mechanism, a total of 125,000 work teams have been sent to alleviate poverty in rural areas, covering all of the country's 128,000 impoverished villages.

Rural residents with a maximum annual net income per capita of 2,300 yuan ($374.54) are classified as poor under the poverty standard adopted in 2011, marking an increase compared to the previous classification which referred to annual net income of 1,274 yuan.

The key goals of China's poverty alleviation efforts involve road construction, safe drinking water, electricity supply and the renovation of old homes in poverty-stricken areas.

The authorities have also made efforts to increase the income of poor people by promoting industry-driven growth, adapting to new technologies and industries.

The public is increasingly concerned about the issue of poverty in China, and the State Council designated October 17 as the country's "Poverty-Relief Day", aimed at increasing awareness about poverty alleviation.

More than 5 billion yuan was raised around China during the first "Poverty-Relief Day" in 2014.