Vice Premier vows to narrow development gaps

17 january 2013

BEIJING — Chinese Vice Premier Hui Liangyu on Wednesday addressed the Poverty Reduction and Development Forum in Beijing, vowing to narrow development gaps among regions of the country and improve social and economic conditions in poverty-stricken areas.

Speaking on the 20th International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, Hui said China will channel greater financial and policy support to poverty-stricken areas, improve their environment, and give priority to poverty alleviation in destitute regions with vast populations.

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The vice premier also concluded on China’s best practices on this front, including creating jobs, transferring rural surplus labor to cities, and scoring eight straight years of harvests which increased farmers’ income.

He advocated a more “inclusive” development both for China and the world at large, striving to provide more equal public services to the poor and balancing development of capital, technology and labor-intensive industries, among other suggestions.

The forum was co-hosted by the State Council Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development, and the United Nations system in China.