Roundup: What Does It Mean to Eradicate Absolute Poverty?
![Tsering Tarchin, a poverty-alleviation official, explains national policies and guidelines to villagers in Ngari prefecture in Southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region. [Photo provided by Global Times, courtesy of Tsering Tarchin]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e221b9a8c24523f813a5a8e/1606971661356-IH6DYNZI5ELWII0FZIDH/cd6118a0-c4aa-4719-a4fd-f6870ad43d93.jpeg)
Tsering Tarchin, a poverty-alleviation official, explains national policies and guidelines to villagers in Ngari prefecture in Southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region. [Photo provided by Global Times, courtesy of Tsering Tarchin]
On November 23, 2020, Guizhou Province announced that its 9 remaining poverty-stricken counties had met the necessary conditions to be considered lifted out of absolute poverty. This quiet announcement effectively marked the successful completion of China’s “campaign against absolute poverty” (脱贫攻坚战) set by the 13th Five Year Plan in 2015, which ultimately targeted 832 counties for poverty alleviation. This campaign is just the latest achievement of decades of governmental efforts to develop the productive forces of the country and improve the living standards of Chinese citizens, as part of a concerted push towards a “comprehensive moderately prosperous society” (全面小康社会).
By China’s own admission, this historic achievement is but a modest first step, with official concerns about households “sliding back into poverty” (返贫) (prompting the creation of an Office for the Prevention of Return to Poverty) and efforts turning to the continuing fight against relative poverty. China eyes a “modern socialist country” (社会主义现代化国家) by 2035, and hopes for a developed country by 2049. It is quite clear that the Communist Party and the Chinese nation are not resting on their laurels, especially not in a time of intensifying imperialist aggression, most notably from the United States. That the United States and its prominent propagandists feel so threatened by the accomplishments of a country which only recently succeeded in providing all its citizens with modest but secure incomes, safe housing, and basic health provisions speaks to the powerful socialist and anti-imperial potential of New China. As evidenced by the 14th Five Year Plan’s intention to prioritize rural development and revitalization, it is clear that China understands its struggle with poverty is far from over, and will continue to seek peaceful development despite stiff imperialist opposition.
Yet even as China’s campaign against absolute poverty has come to an end, the campaign itself, its policies and procedures, and the stories of the triumphs and struggles of the Communist Party cadres and working class people in throwing off the shackles of poverty remain poorly understood outside the country, particularly in the West. Lacking the interest or ability to eradicate poverty under capitalism, the West has instead turned to fearmongering and misinformation, painting China’s anti-poverty efforts as exaggerated at best or repressive at worst. Such a lack of understanding of this monumental achievement, a culmination of decades of political work, hampers the ability of the left to learn from China’s experiences and begin devising ways of effecting poverty alleviation in their own locales.
In this context, we are pleased to share a short note on China’s campaign against absolute poverty, with an emphasis on the on-the-ground procedures and processes involved in this historic project. To that end, we provide a translation of a short press release summarizing the metrics and procedures of poverty alleviation work groups in classifying and delisting individuals, households, villages, and counties as “in absolute poverty.” We also provide a list of the final 234 counties to be lifted out of absolute poverty, as reported by their respective provinces—a list which gestures to both the scale of this national campaign as well as the immense detail of local officials in ensuring individual households rise past the threshold for absolute poverty. Finally, we provide a very short reading list for those wishing to learn more about China’s campaign against absolute poverty.
Four Aspects in the Standards and Procedures for Delisting Entities as "in Absolute Poverty"
State Council Information Office of the People’s Republic of China
The original press release can be found here.
Translated by Sean Haoqin Kang of Qiao Collective
On the morning of May 10th, 2016, the State Council Information Office held a press meeting on circumstances related to the “Opinions Concerning the Establishment of Mechanisms for the Delisting of Entities as “in Absolute Poverty.” Liu Yongfu, Director of the State Council’s Poverty Alleviation Office, summarized the standards and procedures for delisting entities, including individuals, villages, and counties, as “in absolute poverty.” They were as follow:
First, on the individual level, with a household as the unit, the main measure is whether the household’s annual per capita net income stably exceeds the national poverty line, as well as whether there is food and clothing security, access to compulsory education, guaranteed basic healthcare, and safe housing.
Second, on the household level, for a household to be delisted as “in absolute poverty”, it must be designated as such by a public appraisal organized by the “two committees” [a grassroots village-level CPC branch, and a village committee formed and governed by the local residents themselves]. Once the results of the public appraisal are verified by the “two committees” and the CPC poverty-alleviation working group stationed in the village, and the plan to delist the household as “in absolute poverty” is approved, if the village publicly has no objection, the household is publicly announced to have been delisted as “in absolute poverty.”
Third, on the village level, the poverty rate is the main measure, with other comprehensive factors such as the village’s foundational infrastructure, provision of public services, industrial development, and collective economic income also holistically considered. In general, if a poverty-stricken village reaches a poverty rate below 2% (below 3% for villages in the country’s western regions*), if the township or town publicly has no objections, the village is publicly announced to have been delisted as “in absolute poverty.”
Fourth, on the county level, including counties especially designated on the national level as targets for poverty alleviation, the main measure is poverty rate. In general, a county must reach a poverty rate of less than 2% (below 3% for counties in the country’s western regions*). If upon the recommendation of the county’s CPC leading group of poverty alleviation, the initial inquiry of the [prefectural-level] city’s CPC leading group of poverty alleviation, and the inspection of the provincial-level’s CPC leading group of poverty alleviation, the county is considered eligible for delisting as “in absolute poverty”, the proposal to do so is circulated to the public. If the public has no objections, the CPC leading group of poverty alleviation of the province/autonomous region/municipality audits and confirms the decision, ultimately reporting to the CPC leading group of poverty alleviation under the State Council.
Liu Yongfu points out further that the CPC leading group of poverty alleviation under the State Council organizes relevant departments and forces to undertake specialized appraisals and inspections of local decisions to delist entities as “in absolute poverty.” If a decision is found to not have fulfilled the requirements, or the procedures have not been properly carried out, the leading group will instruct the relevant local entities to inspect and handle the issue. For counties that do fulfill the requirements to delist as “in absolute poverty”, the provincial-level government will formally approve of the decision and delist the county.
*China’s western regions are considered to be the Southwest (Chongqing, Sichuan, Yunnan, Guizhou, Xizang Autonomous Region), Northwest (Shaanxi, Gansu, Qinghai, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region), Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.
Further Readings
Voices from the Frontline: China’s War on Poverty. Film. Directed by Peter Getzels. The Kuhn Foundation & PBS Socal, 2020. [available on Youtube]
A documentary hosted by Robert Lawrence Kuhn offering an insightful look into the war against absolute poverty. The documentary not only provides an on-the-ground look at the procedures and effects of poverty alleviation efforts as well as their often imperfect executions, but also shines a light on the workings of the Communist Party of China, including mobilization, promotion, corruption, monitoring, and discipline. Kuhn travels to Hainan, Gansu, Guizhou, Xinjiang, and Sichuan, gaining a rare and balanced insight into Chinese society and policies. Censored by the United States barely a week after its release.
Qin, Ling. Kang, Sean Haoqin trans. The Metamorphosis of Yuangudui. Qiu Shi 2020/11. June 1, 2020.
This Qiu Shi article outlines the diverse experiences of the residents of Yuangudui, a poverty-stricken village in the drylands of Gansu, and goes through the many struggles CPC cadres and locals alike went through in order to throw off absolute poverty.
Peng, Qinghua. Poverty Alleviation in Liangshan Prefecture. Qiu Shi 2019/16. August 16, 2019.
This Qiu Shi article outlines the poverty alleviation efforts in Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture, outlining the unique difficulties of development in mountainous highlands before making recommendations for more consistent results. For an example of new housing built for Liangshan villages, please see CGTN’s “Nearly 150 homes built for mountain villagers in China's anti-poverty drive.”
Major progress in NW China's Yushu since devastating 2010 earthquake. CGTN. April 15, 2020.
Qinghai Province’s Yüxü Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture is in difficult terrain and was devastated by a major earthquake in 2010. Since then, Yüxü has rebuilt, not only making strides in poverty alleviation, but strengthening the Sanjiangyuan nature reserve in order to better suit China’s goal of ecological civilization.
Preserving intangible cultural heritage contributes to poverty alleviation. Xinhua. November 5, 2020.
A quick look at how poverty alleviation works hand-in-hand with preservation of intangible cultural heritages, which often become threatened under the pressure of modernization and development.
Big data adds momentum to city's poverty alleviation efforts. Guiyang Bureau of Big Data Development and Management. April 17, 2020.
In recent years, the province of Guizhou has been building up its telecommunications industry, quickly becoming one of the country’s high-tech big data centers (itself a result of central government planning decisions and local entrepreneurship). This short article outlines how such efforts can be harnessed towards poverty alleviation ends.
Revealing Chinese military's war against extreme poverty. CGTN. February 25, 2021.
This short video covers a single village and the role the People’s Liberation Army played in poverty alleviation efforts. It shows how in a socialist society, every institution can be mobilized to better people’s livelihoods.
Working in China's poorest village & Revisiting China's poorest village. CGTN. June 3 2020; and February 7, 2021.
This two-part documentary follows Lebanese Nadim Diab as he engages directly in poverty alleviation efforts in Kuijiu Village, Jiudu Township, Butuo County, Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province, and sees the results of years of poverty alleviation work first-hand.
List of Last Counties to be Lifted Out of Extreme Poverty
Starting from December 23, 2019 with the Xizang Autonomous Region, China’s provincial-level governments began announcing their last batches of county-level entities to be lifted out of absolute poverty. This list provides the last 234 counties (more accurately, county-level divisions) to be lifted out of absolute poverty. It serves as a reference point as to the breadth and depth of China’s poverty alleviation program, the difficulties inherent in such a project, the diverse circumstances of the counties targeted for poverty alleviation, as well as a lay of the land as to which areas had the most difficulty rising out of absolute poverty and will likely remain targets for sustained poverty alleviation efforts.
It is important to understand the basics of the People’s Republic of China’s system of administrative divisions to fully grasp the poverty alleviation program and the mechanisms in place at each level of government down to the neighborhood and village governances. The system is best understood as a tiered one:
The first tier is the provincial-level (省级), which encompasses provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities, and special administrative regions.
The second tier is the prefectural-level (地级), which encompasses prefectural-level cities, prefectures, autonomous prefectures, and leagues. Most of China’s cities (for example, Xi’an, Nanjing, etc.) are prefectural-level cities, and Leagues are unique to Inner Mongolia.
The third tier is the county-level (县级), which encompasses districts, county-level cities, counties, autonomous counties, banners, and autonomous banners, among other entities. Districts are urban areas that can be thought of as constituting the urban core of a given municipality or prefectural-level city, such as the Xicheng and Dongcheng Districts of Beijing, or Futian District of Shenzhen. Banners and Autonomous Banners are unique to Inner Mongolia.
The fourth tier is the township-level (乡级), which encompasses subdistricts, towns, and townships, among other entities.
At the grassroots below the township-level are neighborhoods and villages, the basic unit of Chinese governance represented by neighborhood and village committees formed by local residents (for more on how the neighborhood committees were institutionally vital to breaking the chain of COVID infections in China, see “How China broke the Chain of Infection,” by Vijay Prashad, Du Xiaojun, and Zhu Weiyan on People’s Dispatch; and “The Secret of China’s Success: Neighborhood Committees,” by Adnan Akfırat on Defend Democracy Press).
This list displays the 234 county-level divisions by provincial-level and prefectural-level divisions, with parentheses marking the prefectural-level division.
Note: This list attempts to prioritize Chinese romanization systems (Pinyin, Tibetan pinyin, SASM/GNC romanizations for Mongolian and Uygur languages)
2019 December 23: Xizang Autonomous Region (19)
(Xigazê City)
Xätongmön County
Gyangzê County
Sa'gya County
Saga County
Lhazê County
Namling County
(Qamdo City)
Baxö County
Zogong County
Markam County
Gonjo County
Zhag'yab County
(Nagqu City)
Seni District
Baqên County
Nyima County
Co’nyi/Shuanghu County
Xänza County
(Ngari Prefecture)
Coqên County
Gêrzê County
Gê'gyä County
2020 February 22: Chongqing (4) [as a municipality, Chongqing directly administers county-level entities]
Pengshui County
Chengkou County
Wuxi County
Youyang County
2020 February 26: Heilongjiang (5)
(Harbin City)
Yanshou County
(Qiqihar City)
Baiquan County
(Daqing City)
Lindian County
(Suihua City)
Hailun City
Qinggang County
2020 February 27: Shaanxi (29)
(Tongchuan City)
Yintai District
Yaozhou District
(Weinan City)
Baishui County;
(Yulin City)
Jia County
Qingjian County
Zizhou County
(Hanzhong City)
Nanzheng District
Chenggu County
Yang County
Mian County
Xixiang County
Lüeyang County
Zhenba County
Ningqiang County;
(Ankang City)
Hanbin District
Pingli County
Xunyang County
Shiquan County
Ziyang County
Baihe County
Hanyin County
Ningshan County
Langao County
(Shangluo City)
Shangzhou District
Luonan County
Shanyang County
Danfeng County
Shangnan County
Zhashui County
2020 February 28: Henan (14)
(Luoyang City)
Song County
Ruyang County
(Pindingshan City)
Lushan County
(Puyang City)
Fan County
Taiqian County
(Sanmenxia City)
Lushi County
(Nanyang City)
Nanzhao County
Xichuan County
Sheqi County
Tongbai County
(Xinyang City)
Huaibin County
(Zhumadian City)
Shangcai County
Pingyu County
Queshan County
2020 February 29: Hainan (3)
Wuzhishan City [provincially-administered county-level division]
Lingao County [provincially-administered county-level division]
Baisha Li Autonomous County [provincially-administered county-level division]
2020 February 29: Hebei (13)
(Chengde City)
Weichang Manchu and Mongol Autonomous County
Fengning Manchu Autonomous County
Longhua County
(Zhangjiakou City)
Kangbao County
Guyuan County
Zhangbei County
Shangyi County
Yangyuan County
Chicheng County
Huai’an County
Yu County
(Baoding City)
Fuping County
Laiyuan County
2020 March 2: Hunan (20)
(Shaoyang City)
Shaoyang County
Longhui County
Dongkou County
Xinning County
Chengbu Miao Autonomous County
(Zhangjiajie City)
Sangzhi County
(Yongzhou City)
Xintian County
(Huaihua City)
Yuanling County
Xupu County
Mayang Miao Autonomous County
Tongdao Dong Autonomous County
(Loudi City)
Lianyuan City
Xinhua County
(Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture)
Luxi County
Fenghuang County
Huayuan County
Baojing County
Guzhang County
Yongshun County
Longshan County
2020 March 5: Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region (20)
(Hulunbuir City)
Oroqen Autonomous Banner
Morin Dawa Daur Autonomous Banner
(Hinggan League)
Tuquan County
Horqin Right Front Banner
(Tongliao City)
Horqin Left Middle Banner
Hure Banner
Naiman Banner
(Chifeng City)
Ar Horqin Banner
Bairin Left Banner
Ongniud Banner
Aohan Banner
(Xilingol League)
Taibus Banner
Zhengxiangbai Banner
(Ulanqab City)
Qahar Right Front Banner
Qahar Right Middle Banner
Dorbod Banner
Zhuozi County
Xinghe County
Shangdu County
Huade County
2020 March 6: Shanxi (17)
(Datong City)
Guangling County
Tianzhen County
Hunyuan County
(Xinzhou City)
Ningwu County
Jingle County
Pianguan County
Dai County
Wutai County
(Lüliang City)
Xing County
Shilou County
Lin County
(Changzhi City)
Huguan County
Pingshun County
(Linfen City)
Yonghe County
Daning County
Fenxi County
(Jinzhong City)
Yushe County
2020 April 11: Jilin (9)
(Baishan County)
Jingyu County
(Baicheng City)
Taobei District
Da’an City
Tongyu County
(Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture)
Antu County
Wangqing County
(Siping City)
Shuangliao City
(Tonghua City)
Liuhe County
(Songyuan City)
Changling County
2020 April 21: Qinghai (17)
(Haidong City)
Ledu District
Minhe Hui and Tu Autonomous County
Hualong Hui Autonomous County
(Colho/Hainan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture)
Gêrqên/Gonghe County
Triga/Guide County
(Yüxü Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture)
Nangqên County
Zhidö County
Zadö County
Qumarlêb County
(Golog Prefecture)
Maqên County
Bäma County
Jigzhi County
Gadê County
Darlag County
(Malho/Huangnan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture)
Rebgong/Tongren City
Jänca County
Zêkog County
2020 April 26: Jiangxi (7)
(Ganzhou City)
Ganxian District
Yudu County
Xingguo County
Ningdu County
(Shangrao City)
Poyang County
(Jiujiang City)
Xiushui County
Duchang County
2020 April 29: Anhui (9)
(Suzhou City)
Xiao County
(Fuyang City)
Yingdong District
Linquan County
Funan County
(Lu’an City)
Huoqiu County
Jinzhai County
(Chizhou City)
Shitai County
(Anqing City)
Taihu County
Wangjiang County
2020 September 14: Hubei (5)
(Shiyan City)
Zhuxi County
(Xiangyang City)
Baokang County
(Huanggang City)
Yingshan County
(Enshi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture)
Badong County
(Yichang City)
Wufeng Tujia Autonomous County
2020 November 14: Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (10)
(Kashgar Prefecture)
Yarkant/Shache County
Kargilik/Yecheng County
Payzawat/Jiashi County
Yengisar County
(Hotan Prefecture)
Karakax/Moyu County
Guma/Pishan County
Lop County
Qira County
Keriya/Yutian County
(Kizilsu Kirgiz Autonomous Prefecture)
Akto County
2020 November 16: Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region (1)
(Guyuan City)
Xiji County
2020 November 17: Sichuan (7)
(Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture)
Puge County
Butuo County
Jinyang County
Zhaojue County
Xide County
Yuexi County
Meigu County
2020 November 20: Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region (8)
(Liuzhou City)
Rongshui Miao Autonomous County
Sanjiang Dong Autonomous County
(Baise City)
Napo County
Leye County
Longlin Autonomous County
(Hechi City)
Luocheng Mulao Autonomous County
Dahua Yao Autonomous County
Du’an Yao Autonomous County
2020 November 21: Gansu (8)
(Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture)
Dongxiang Autonomous County
Linxia County
(Longnan City)
Tancheng County
Xihe County
Li County
(Dingxi City)
Tongwei County
Min County
(Qingyang City)
Zhenyuan County
2020 November 23: Guizhou (9)
(Anshun City)
Ziyun Miao and Bouyei Autonomous County
(Bijie City)
Nayong County
Weining Yi, Hui, and Miao Autonomous County
Hezhang County
(Tongren City)
Yanhe Tujia Autonomous County
(Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture)
Rongjiang County
Congjiang County
(Qianxinan Bouyei and Miao Autonomous Prefecture)
Qinglong County
Wangmo County
