In summary, both developed and developing countries need make concerted efforts at the height of safeguarding human rights to eliminate poverty and achieve the "UN Millennium Development Goals".

4. The Experience of China in Poverty Elimination and Their Significance The Chinese Government has implemented its large-scaled poverty alleviation and development since the 1980s, which is well planed and organized. After more than 20 years painstaking efforts, the poverty alleviation and development project has gained some world-attracting achievements in China.

Firstly, rural population in poverty has been greatly decreased. In accordance with the poverty standard of the Chinese Government, the population in absolute poverty in the rural areas of China had reduced from 250 million in 1978 to 14.79 million in 2007, with its proportion in the total rural population decreasing from 30.7% to 1.6%; and the population with low incomes in poverty who has preliminarily solved its problem of subsistence but does not remain in a stable state has lessened from 62.13 million in 2000 to 28.41 million in 2007, with its proportion in the total rural population decreasing from 6.7% to 3%.

Secondly, the incomes of peasants have steadily increased. From 1989 to 2008, the pure per capita incomes of peasants in the key counties of state poverty alleviation and development project increased from 303 RMB to 2,611. In particular, during the period from 2002 to 2007, the pure capita incomes of peasants in such key counties increased from 1,305 to 2,278, with an averaging 9.04% increase during these five years, and higher than the national average growth rate 7.47% for five consecutive years.

Thirdly, infrastructure has been obviously improved. By the end of 2008, in the key counties of state poverty alleviation and development, the natural villages accessible to highways, electricity, telephones and radio and TV signals have respectively numbered 84.4%, 96.8%, 87.5% and 92.9% of the total amount of natural villages in such counties. And peasant households accessible to tap water and deep well water have amounted up to 58.1%.

Fourthly, profound changes have taken place in social causes. In rural areas, the state has given 9-year compulsory education in all respects, boosted a new type of rural co-operative medical system, and established a complete rural minimum subsistence system. From 2002 to 2008, villages with a variety of kindergartens or nursery schools have increased from 7.38% to 55.2% of the total amount of the surveyed villages; villages with simple clinics from 9.86% to 77.4%; villages with qualified countryside doctors or assistant doctors from 10.18% to 77.4%; and villages with qualified midwives from 9.58% to 73.7%.³

4.1 The Main Characteristics of Poverty Alleviation and Development of China 4.1.1 Governmental Dominance and Social Involvement The poverty alleviation and development in China has been dominated vigorously by the central government. In 1986, the central government established a special institution in charge of poverty alleviation and development, namely the State Council Leading Group of Poverty Alleviation and Development and its office, and corresponding organizations were subsequently set up at provincial, district and county levels. On the basis of organizational guarantee, the central government graded poverty, selecting counties in poverty to be emphatically supported by the state; at the same time, it allocated poverty alleviation funds for special use, and worked out favorable policies for the areas and populaces in poverty. In 1994, the State Council constituted and promulgated the National 7-year Plan for the Poverty Alleviation of a Population of 80 Million in Extreme Poverty, clearly advancing that the country should spend 7 years or so to strive for largely solving the subsistence problem of a rural population of 80 million in poverty. By the end of 2000, the rural population in abject poverty had decreased to 32.09 million, which means that the key objective of this poverty alleviation project had been largely reached. In 2001, the State Council publicized and implemented the Program of Poverty Alleviation and Development in Rural Areas of China (2001-2010), putting forwards the criteria of low incomes. The work on poverty alleviation and development clearly brought forth that emphasis should be laid on the improvement of each village as a whole, the transfer and training of labor force and poverty alleviation through industrialization to reform fund management systems and improve poverty alleviation mechanism. During the 30 years from 1978 to 2008, the central government has invested more than 170 billion RMB for the special use of poverty alleviation and development; in addition, it has also invoked more than 200 billion RMB loans for poverty alleviation and development by means of interest payment. The financial investment by the central government and local governments at levels has provided sufficient support for poverty alleviation and development. In 2007, the Chinese Government decided to establish a minimum life guarantee system in rural areas all over the country, in this case, the basic subsistence of rural population in poverty has been practically guaranteed. In 2008, the third plenary session of the 17th CPC Conference of Central Committee suggested carrying out a new standard for poverty alleviation, and implementing a poverty alleviation and development policy in all respects to the population of low incomes. In March 2009, Premier Wen Jiabao made it clearer in his report on governmental work, declaring that "A new standard for poverty alleviation and development will be applied this year to implement a poverty alleviation and development policy in all respects to the population of low incomes. The new standard will be raised to per capita 1,196 RMB, and the project will cover a population of 40.07 million." So, the poverty alleviation and development work in China has entered a new stage.

Widespread social involvement is another important experience from the poverty alleviation and development of China. The Guangcai Program initiated in 1994 has invested more than 130 billion RMB and donated more than 17 billion RMB for poverty alleviation and development. Non-governmental organizations have launched a large number of programs to actively take part in the cause of poverty alleviation and development, including the Hope Project launched by the Central Committee of China Communist Youth, the Spring Buds Program and the Mother's Water Cellar initiated by the All-China Women Federation, the Happiness Project originated by the China Population Welfare Foundation, and the 120 Items for the Security of Mother and Infants sponsored by the China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation. The extensive social involvement has played a good and necessary supplementary role in the poverty alleviation and development, in which the governments are a mainstay.

4.1.2 Characteristic of Poverty Alleviation of China: Poverty Alleviation through Gradual Development Since it began to conduct large-scaled poverty alleviation and development in a planned way in 1986, China has taken a series of measures step by step, including the training and transfer of labor force, the reform of interest payment systems, and poverty alleviation through development. In this way, it has pushed its poverty alleviation and development from one stage to a more advanced one.

The critical point in the poverty alleviation and development of China is that it persists in poverty alleviation through development. Economic growth does not autonomously tilt towards disadvantageous groups, and social assistance cannot autonomously improve their developmental abilities. So, poverty alleviation through development is a correct choice, and it has played an active role in boosting the economic and social development in deprived areas, alleviating the poverty in rural areas, and optimizing the national economic structure of China.

4.2 The Achievements in Poverty Alleviation Poverty and Development Have Positive Meanings to the International Community 4.2.1 The Historical Achievements That China Has Gained in Its Poverty Alleviation and Development Are a Contribution to World Poverty Alleviation The achievements of poverty alleviation and development of China have accelerated the global poverty alleviation course, making a contribution to the world poverty alleviation career. According to the Report of China on the Achieving of the Millennium Development Goals, China is the first developing country that reached ahead of time the objective of decreasing half of population in poverty no matter whether in reference to the poverty alleviation standard of Chinese Government or an international one. From 1990 to 2005, the global population in poverty who spends less than one US dollar everyday has been declined down to 1.4 billion, with a 23% decrease. But with China excluded, the global population in poverty has increased 58 million in fact.

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