China’s continued fight against poverty will give priority to minority areas, old revolutionary bases, border areas and more impoverished areas in central and western China, according to Gao Hongbin, director-general of the State Council Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development under the Ministry of Agriculture .

Meanwhile, provincial governments in the more developed eastern region of China will be expected to take on the work of alleviating poverty in their poorer areas, Gao told a press conference in Beijing on Tuesday.

In November, Gao announced that China had accomplished its goal of eliminating “absolute poverty,” a level defined as an annual income of less than 635 yuan (about $77) by year 2000. The goal was set in 1994, when China’s absolute poverty level was at 80 million and the state launched a “seven-year poverty alleviation plan.”

Tuesday, Gao spoke of future goals including long-term commitments to local economy, intensified rural development, ecological awareness, development of science and technology, education, culture and health – all to facilitate social progress in poor areas and to encourage those areas to keep pace with overall development in China.

(China.org.cn by Guo Xiaohong 06/20/2001)