Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Thursday, February 07, 2002
China Issues Emergency Call to Help Poor People
The government office in charge of assisting the poor Wednesday issued an emergency circular, urging all relevant local departments to ensure needy people have enough food and clothing especially during the traditional Chinese lunar New Year, which begins on February 12 this year.
The Chinese government Wednesday issued an emergency circular calling on local governments to help needy people across the country.
Supply to Help the Poor for Spring Planting
To achieve that target, said the circular, local poverty reduction officials and workers should visit poverty-stricken areas village by village and family by family to have a better understanding of the problems facing impoverished people.
The circular says supply of funds and distribution of seeds, chemical fertilizers and other farming materials will help the poor to get ready for spring planting.
30m People Live in Poverty in Rural China
There are 30 million people still living in poverty in rural China even though China's rapid economic growth over the past two decades has helped lifted about 200 million people out of poverty.
Most of the 30 million poor people live in remote areas with harsh natural conditions where it is a backbreaking job just to produce enough to eat and wear.
Top Agenda of the Governments
In a commentary issued Wednesday on poverty reduction in China, Xinhua said the issue of poverty alleviation should be placed on the top of the agenda of governments at all levels.
The leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Monday discussed plans to help needy people in China cope with difficult times in both their life and work.
Addressing a meeting on reducing poverty and helping the needy on February 4, Jiang Zemin, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, called on leading officials at all levels to do more for people in need, to consolidate the Party's leading position, promote social and economic development and safeguard social stability.
Not An Easy Task: 30m People in Poverty
There are 30m people still living in poverty in rural China and a significant number of laid-off workers from State-owned firms in urban China despite China's rapid economic growth, rising standard of living and its marked progress in the anti-poverty campaign of the past decade.
Main Contents of the Requests
1,Governments at all levels should carry out all the policies and measures designed to help poor people in both rural and urban areas.
2,Party committees and governments at all levels should take all necessary measures to ensure the impoverished in China have a happy lunar Chinese New Year
3,All sectors of society should participate in anti-poverty activities.
The Party should regard the job of helping the poor people as one of the important ways to improve the Party's work style.