SCIO briefing on 'high-quality achievements during the 14th Five-Year Plan period': Fiscal reform and development

The Poster News APP:

The 14th Five-Year Plan period has been a key transition for aligning the consolidation and expansion of poverty alleviation achievements with the promotion of rural revitalization, and it is now drawing to a close. Could you please outline the results of fiscal support in consolidating poverty alleviation gains and advancing rural revitalization during this transition? Thank you.

Lan Fo'an:

I'd like to invite Mr. Wang to answer this question.

Wang Dongwei:

Thank you for your question.

Since the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core mobilized the strength of the entire Party and society in the fight against poverty, and by the end of 2020, achieved a comprehensive victory. This historic achievement resolved the problem of absolute poverty that had plagued China for thousands of years, set a model for global poverty reduction, and won wide acclaim from the international community.

After the victory, the CPC Central Committee established a five-year transition period to link the consolidation and expansion of poverty alleviation gains with rural revitalization, providing continued support to areas and populations lifted out of poverty. The MOF has resolutely implemented the following measures: First, we have maintained consistent and robust policy support throughout the transition period, ensured funding through multiple channels, and effectively prevented any large-scale relapse into poverty. Second, we have focused on stimulating the internal momentum of areas that have shaken off poverty, not only by providing assistance but also by equipping them with the skills needed for self-reliance, thereby supporting sustainable development. Third, we have worked to improve development conditions in areas that have emerged from poverty, adopting a range of measures to advance all-around rural revitalization. Overall, achievements have been made in three key areas.

First, stronger measures have been taken to prevent any relapse into poverty and to solidify the achievements of poverty alleviation. A central government-funded subsidy was established to align with and promote rural revitalization, with allocations increasing from 156.5 billion yuan in 2021 to 177 billion yuan in 2025, totaling 850.5 billion yuan over these five years. This represents an increase of 320 billion yuan compared to the 13th Five-Year Plan period, up 60%. Monitoring and assistance mechanisms have been established and refined to prevent people from lapsing or relapsing into poverty, ensuring risks are steadily mitigated. Formerly impoverished regions have withstood multiple tests, including economic slowdowns and frequent disasters in certain areas, without experiencing large-scale returns to poverty.

Second, the internal driving force for development has grown stronger, and the income of people lifted out of poverty has become more stable. Distinctive and competitive local industries in rural areas have continued to grow. Almost every formerly impoverished county has developed industries with clear characteristics, notable strengths and strong capacities to drive local development. For example, black fungus in Zhashui county, Shaanxi province, daylilies in Yunzhou district, Datong city, Shanxi province, and potatoes in Anding district, Dingxi city, Gansu province, have all become signature products with remarkable success. These industries have established close mechanisms that link the interests of formerly impoverished households, enabling farmers to find employment and increase their incomes, helping rural communities attract and retain talent, and ensuring sustainable development following poverty alleviation. To ensure higher incomes for farmers and greater agricultural output, fiscal support has been provided to expand the coverage and raise the protection levels of agricultural insurance. Full coverage has now been achieved nationwide for insurance programs covering total production costs and incomes for the three major grain crops: rice, wheat and corn. Since the start of the 14th Five-Year Plan period, rural residents' per capita disposable income in formerly impoverished areas has increased by nearly 40%, reaching 17,522 yuan in 2024. For four consecutive years, its annual growth rate has exceeded the national average for per capita disposable income.

Third, public well-being has been further secured, and the foundation for rural revitalization has become stronger. Since the start of the transition period, rural roads in formerly impoverished areas have been gradually improved. The quality and service capacity of the construction, management, maintenance and operation of roads in rural areas has been continuously enhanced. All key counties receiving assistance for rural revitalization now have 5G coverage in every township, opening up major channels for economic development. The burden of medical expenses and other costs has continued to ease, and the livelihood security of people who have been lifted out of poverty has been further reinforced. Renovation of dilapidated rural houses and efforts to ensure safe drinking water have progressed further, and rural infrastructure construction has made significant headway.

Going forward, we will leverage public finance to its fullest potential, provide robust support for completing the transition tasks, and carefully plan ongoing assistance work for the post-transition period. These efforts will ensure that no one is left behind on the journey toward common prosperity. Thank you.