China's economy surged by 10.9 percent in the first half of
2006, the fastest rise in a decade. But Wu Zhong, an official in
charge of international cooperation and poverty reduction with the
State Council Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and
Development still has his doubts. The poverty line simply failed to
reflect the average standard of living, said Wu.
At the end of last year, official statistics stated that China
had 23.65 million people living below the poverty line. But China's
poor actually totaled 120 million to 130 million, using the
internationally-accepted US$1per day guideline, said Wu, opening
the possibility that over 100 million people have not been provided
for at all.
"The 23.65 million below the Chinese poverty line are actually
people struggling in abject poverty where even food, clothing and
shelter are a problem for them," he told an international symposium
on poverty and international cooperation in Chengdu, capital of Sichuan Province.
"So another 100 million poor people have not been categorized as
poor and therefore are not getting any of the help they need," he
added.
China set a poverty line of 206 yuan (about US$50) in 1986 if
calculated at the then exchange rate and was about half of a
farmer's annual income. In 1986, China set a poverty line of 206
yuan (about US$50) which amounted at the time to half an average
farmer's annual income. However, this system has since lost its
accuracy.
"We must not consider the poverty line as being unalterable or
simply copy the international standard," said Du Ping, an official
with the planning department of the Leading Group under the State
Council for the Development of the Western Regions.
Du stated that in order to ensure that all share equally from
the benefits of China's social and economic development, a more
"scientific" standard needs to be set up in line with price rises
and national revenue increases. Only in this way will adequate help
come to those who need it the most.
The government has made laudable efforts over the past two
decades to reduce poverty and improve the general quality of
life.
In 2006, the central government has allocated 13.4 billion yuan
(US$1.675 billion) towards poverty reduction with this amount
likely to rise, said Liu Jian, director of the State Council
Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development.
The latest figures from Liu's office show that in the 592
poverty-stricken counties to which the central government had
provided priority poverty reduction support, 79 percent of villages
are now linked to the outside by highways, 95.8 percent had access
to electricity and 70 percent had access to safe drinking water by
the end of last year. Unfortunately, in many parts of the country,
natural disasters, poor maintenance and drought conditions threaten
the reliability and durability of these services, bringing about
frequent power-outs and soiling clean water supplies.
Moreover, 73.8 percent of villages had installed fixed-line
telephone services and 87.6 percent had access to television.
Figures also show 94.7 percent of children from 6-18 years old
are now attending school and medical services have been
significantly improved, as well as the access to said services.
However, Liu said tough challenges remained. "For example, many
poverty-hit areas are still not receiving adequate food supplies,"
he said. In a survey of 100 poverty-stricken counties across China
last year, Liu's office found about 36.4 percent of households
suffered from food shortages.
National and international efforts continue to try and find a
permanent solution to this crisis. Hopefully, with the continuing
hard work of the central government, this will come swiftly and
bring a measure of hope to those most afflicted.
(China Daily August 24, 2006)