China is expected to fulfill its commitment to helping 80 million poor people out of poverty by the end of a seven-year period that will end with the close of 2000, China Daily reports.

But official sources said the country still cannot relent in its anti-poverty efforts.

Yang Rudai, vice-chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference was quoted as saying that despite significant achievements in its campaign to eliminate abject poverty, the country faces an arduous task as it addresses relative poverty and works to keep those already lifted from destitution from falling back.

Yang made the remarks yesterday at a national meeting of the "Foundation for Undeveloped Regions in China" (FURC), an organization created 10 years ago to "encourage all walks of society to combat poverty in China".

Yang said even though the overwhelming majority of poor have been raised above the poverty line, people with low incomes and unfavorable development opportunities continue to encounter difficulties in their everyday lives.

He said these people are very vulnerable and could decline into relative poverty. He then listed that rural inhabitants who have escaped poverty may fall back into destitution if they become victims of cut-throat market competition or natural disasters.

Urban poverty is also in the category, he said, because many redundant workers of State-owned enterprises have been laid off.

He added that though the country's efforts have eliminated poverty in major parts of China, poverty-alleviation is extremely challenging in remote regions such as parts of Yunnan, Sichuan and dry areas of the northwestern Loess Plateau.

He urged non-governmental organizations such as the FURC to help overcome obstacles to combating destitution. (Xinhua)