China's vice-premier calls for consolidation of poverty alleviation work

YINCHUAN -- Chinese Vice-Premier Liu Guozhong has called for unremitting work to consolidate and expand China's poverty alleviation achievements, and to optimize regular rural support policies.

Liu, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks during a research trip to Shanxi province, Gansu province and the Ningxia Hui autonomous region from Monday to Thursday.

After declaring that it had eradicated absolute poverty in 2021, China dedicated a five-year transition period to consolidating and building on the outcomes of its poverty alleviation campaign, and to integrating those outcomes with rural vitalization.

Noting that only six months of this transition period remain, Liu urged action to strengthen the monitoring of emergencies such as diseases and disasters, as well as action to mitigate possible risks. Poverty alleviation efforts in industries must be tailored to local conditions, Liu said, urging intensified work to stabilize employment and boost incomes for those who have emerged from poverty.

Follow-up assistance for people who participated in the country's relocation and resettlement program should be strengthened, he said, also noting the necessity of strengthening collaboration between the country's eastern and western regions, and of deepening targeted assistance from the central government.

At a symposium during his trip, he urged the establishment of a stratified and classified assistance system for rural low-income populations and underdeveloped areas during the approaching post-transition period. On the basis of safeguarding the bottom line to prevent large-scale relapse into poverty or the occurrence of poverty, rural revitalization efforts should be advanced across the board, he said.

Liu also emphasized the importance of completing summer harvest work effectively to ensure a full-year bumper grain harvest.