Poverty alleviation practices inspiration for world: China Daily editorial

As part of the global poverty reduction campaign, what China has achieved provides some worthwhile experiences as far as poverty reduction efforts are concerned for other developing countries.

The eradication of poverty has long been a battle the United Nations has tried to win by mobilizing global resources. It has also been a target China has made great efforts to fulfill in order to raise the living standards of Chinese people to a higher level and finally realize the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

Despite the impact of the public health threat from the novel coronavirus on economic growth and social progress, President Xi Jinping has made it clear that there will be no slacking in the country's efforts to achieve the goal of lifting all poverty-stricken rural villagers out of poverty by the end of this year.

Speaking on Saturday, when China marked the seventh National Poverty Relief Day, Xi again stressed the country must maintain its momentum in the final push to eliminate abject poverty.

Much has been done. Of the 832 poverty-stricken counties, 601 announced they had shaken off poverty by the end of February this year. And those households registered as poverty-stricken saw their annual family income increase to 9,808 yuan ($1,465) in 2019 from 3,426 yuan in 2015.

What China has achieved in its fight against poverty has a lot to do with its different initiatives under the targeted poverty alleviation strategy. They include support for the establishment of rural industries in poor counties that can utilize local resources and labor. Special convenience has been provided for rural enterprises to be listed. Those rural areas with a good ecological environment have been assisted in developing their tourism industries, which not only facilitates local conservation efforts but also helps raise poor rural villagers out of poverty.

China has also sent a lot of government officials to rural villages to work as advisors for poverty alleviation work, which has proved to be productive.

The country's poverty-alleviation efforts are not just meant to improve living standards to lift people above the poverty line, but to first help them shake off poverty and then help them find an approach so they can work their way up to a happier life on their own.

Rather than giving rural villagers living in poverty simple handouts, China's poverty alleviation initiatives are meant to help them find the best way possible to work their own way out of poverty and provide safety nets, so that an event such as a serious illness in a family does not push a household back into poverty, which is why poverty alleviation efforts will continue beyond this year.

China's battle against poverty means that for the first time in its history, the county will be free of absolute poverty. This is also a significant contribution to the cause of global poverty reduction and provides inspiration and encouragement for other developing countries.