ARMalik
SENIOR MEMBER
- Joined
- Dec 7, 2017
- Messages
- 6,046
- Reaction score
- -7
- Country
- Location
Xi declares extreme poverty has been wiped out in China
President says 850 million people have been lifted out of destitution in an ‘unprecedented accomplishment’.
www.scmp.com
China has declared complete success in eliminating extreme poverty, with President Xi Jinpinghailing the lifting of 850 million people out of destitution as an “unprecedented accomplishment” unmatched by any nation in modern history.
In a speech at a ceremony in Beijing on Thursday to commend poverty fighters, broadcast live on state television, Xi said his signature campaign to improve livelihoods had added 100 million people to the total during his eight years in power.
“There is no other country that could achieve such remarkable poverty alleviation progress within such a short time,” he said.
China’s success in fighting poverty has been pegged to its ambitious economic reform, and comes as the nation is recovering ahead of other global powers from the Covid-19 pandemic amid open tensions with the United States.
“Eradicating extreme poverty is yet another remarkable miracle of mankind worthy of historic remembrance. It is a great honour belonging to the Chinese Communist Partyand the people,” Xi said.
He was speaking ahead of the annual parliamentary meetings known as the “two sessions” next week, when Beijing will unveil a detailed road map for medium-term growth, eyeing more reliance on domestic consumption. The party is also getting ready to celebrate its 100th anniversary this year.
Poverty alleviation has been a long-term goal for the party since it took power in 1949, and a bedrock foundation for its mandate. Progress has gathered pace along with its opening up and economic reform over the past decades.
After becoming president in 2013, Xi listed poverty elimination as one of the core missions for his administration and set a deadline of 2020. The party is also expected to declare success in building a “moderately prosperous society” next, elevating living standards to cement its leadership and legitimacy.
Apart from the official narrative, China’s success on the poverty-elimination front has also been recognised globally. The World Bank acknowledged back in 2017 the country’s “unmatched record”, accounting for more than 70 per cent of global success in eradicating extreme poverty since the 1980s.
Xi said on Thursday that 98.99 million people had been freed from abject poverty after an eight-year campaign and residents of more than 800 counties, with average income under 4,000 yuan (US$619) a year, had been removed from the official poverty list.
