POVERTY ELIMINATION IN POOR AREAS – KEY TO PROSPERITY

POVERTY ELIMINATION IN POOR AREAS – KEY TO PROSPERITY*

December 29, 2012

The purpose of my current tour is to visit the people of this old revolutionary base area. Located in the heart of the Taihang Mountains, Fuping County is a renowned old revolutionary base area and part of the Yanshan-Taihang contiguous impoverished area. It is thus very representative of its type. I have long looked forward to coming here and visiting local folks, learning about the work and life of those in need, and consulting with you on ways out of poverty and into prosperity. In making an inspection tour, we should inform ourselves about deep poverty and understand the true conditions in poverty-stricken areas through typical cases, that is, to see the whole picture from a look at a part. This is the basis for correct policy-making. Any attempt to gloss over destitution and showcase phony prosperity will undermine our efforts against poverty. Some places are poor for multiple reasons. This does not mean you have underperformed in your work. Do not worry about this. 

From the documents that I read before setting out and from your work report just now, I have built a comprehensive understanding of Fuping’s history, basic conditions, and social and economic development. In recent years, you have made further progress in economic development, improving people’s wellbeing, social governance, eco-tourism, development-driven poverty alleviation, grassroots Party development, and many other areas. Living and working here for years and fearing no hardships, you have done a great deal to make the county a better place. Here, I would like to extend my sincere greetings to you, and via you, to all the 210,000 people across the county.

Fuping is a place with a glorious history of revolution. It was the capital of the Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei base area – the first anti-Japanese aggression base area established by our Party and armed forces in enemy-occupied territory – and the political, military and cultural center of the Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei border area. Marshal Nie Rongzhen (1899-1992) and some other veteran revolutionaries fought and lived here for 11 years. In April 1948, Chairman Mao led the Party’s central departments to Chengnan Village of Fuping from northern Shaanxi. Here, an enlarged meeting of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee was held, at which the strategy for the southern front was adjusted, laying solid foundations for the victory of the People’s Liberation Army over the Kuomintang forces in the three major campaigns during the War of Liberation (1946-1950). The Party and the nation will never forget the enormous contribution made by Fuping and its people to victory in the Chinese revolution. 

I harbor a deep affection towards Marshal Nie. The primary school I attended – Beijing Bayi Primary School – was formerly Rongzhen Primary School in Chengnan Village. It was later relocated from Fuping to Beijing. Marshal Nie cared for Fuping very much. He once said that he would die with everlasting regret if the county remained in poverty. Speaking of the straitened circumstances of the local people, he shed tears. I heard of this when I worked in Fuzhou City, Fujian Province. Therefore, Fuping made a deep impression on me from a young age. This is the source of my affection for the county.

In recent years, Hebei Province, Baoding City, and Fuping County have all made great efforts and achieved great progress in development-driven poverty alleviation. This is praiseworthy. However, due to unfavorable natural conditions, underdeveloped transport infrastructure, and the difficult work and living conditions here as compared with those of the areas on the plain, Fuping is still quite poor. The documents provided by your county show that among the 210,000 people of the entire county, 90,000 are living below the poverty line, a considerable proportion. Thus the task of development-driven poverty alleviation is still daunting. Needless to say, the moderate prosperity in all respects that we aim to achieve by 2020 entails all-round moderate prosperity in rural areas, particularly in old revolutionary base areas and poverty-stricken areas. Thus the Central Committee of the Party is particularly concerned about the development of such areas. 

Since reform and opening up was introduced over 30 years ago, great achievements have been secured in the economic and social development of our country, and the people’s overall living conditions have substantially improved. We are now much better off than any time in the past. However, we must be clear that China, a vast country with imbalanced development between different regions, is still in the primary stage of socialism, so the population living in poverty is still quite large. More than 120 million rural people in our country are still living below the national poverty line – an annual per capita income of RMB2,300. That is why we believe that China remains a developing country in the international community and that it should only take on international commitments commensurate with its status. There are also a large number of poor urban residents in our country. A question on my mind is how to support them and help them to lead a better life.

Eradicating poverty, improving the people’s lives, and achieving common prosperity are essential tasks of socialism. Currently, a majority of people in our country are living a much better life than in the past. Middle- and high-income groups have emerged, but there are still large numbers of low-income people. Those we must help are those on a low income. Disparities tend to be masked by averages. In 2006, the year before I left office in Zhejiang Province, the per capita disposable income of urban residents exceeded RMB18,200, and the per capita net income of rural residents surpassed RMB7,300, but people with an income below the average accounted for more than 40 percent of the total population, a large number indeed.

We should pay close attention to people in straitened circumstances and extend our concern to them with respect and care. We should keep their needs and sufferings in mind and do our best to solve their problems. One of the poems by Zheng Banqiao goes:

When I hear the rustle of bamboo leaves outside my study, 
I feel it is the wails of hungry people; 
For petty county officials like us, 
Every concern of the people weighs in our heart.

We CPC members, more than anyone else, should share this kind of concern about the people’s difficulties. We must have a heart of compassion and love, show greater care for people in want, and continue to improve the lives of all the people.

In building a moderately prosperous society in all respects, the most arduous tasks are in rural areas, particularly in impoverished rural areas. This goal cannot be considered complete unless these areas have reached moderate prosperity. We should have a thorough understanding of this. Therefore we must be clearer about the importance of doing a successful job in development-driven poverty alleviation, and strengthen our sense of responsibility and mission in this regard.

The CPC Central Committee attaches great importance to development-driven poverty alleviation. Specific requirements were set out for this work at the Party’s 18th National Congress and the recent Central Conference on Economic Work and Central Conference on Rural Work. At the Central Conference on Poverty Alleviation and Development last year, the Central Committee planned for the next 10 years of development-driven poverty alleviation work and introduced policies and measures for faster development of impoverished areas. 

Through intensified development-driven poverty alleviation, we will help people in need, especially those in old revolutionary base areas and impoverished mountainous areas, to emerge from poverty and achieve prosperity as soon as possible. We are committed to ensuring that by 2020 those who are now below the poverty line will have stable access to adequate food and clothing, to compulsory education, to basic medical services, and to safe housing. These are the goals established by the Central Committee. We must increase investment, focus on contiguous impoverished areas, and make a priority of ensuring that people who are in poverty now will have adequate food and clothing, will emerge from poverty, and will become prosperous at the earliest possible stage. The government should provide guidance to poverty-alleviation programs and coordinate development efforts. It will give particular attention to enabling impoverished people and areas to develop on their own. It will address the outstanding problems which hinder development, and will work to expedite the economic and social development of poverty-stricken areas.

∗ Part of the speech during a visit to Fuping County, Hebei Province on development-driven poverty alleviation.

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