Rural Poverty Alleviation in China

China’s large size and long history has influenced the economic development in rural areas, which are characterized with uneven levels of economic development because of various social, historical and natural reasons. The policy of reform and opening up to the outside world has brought about historical changes in China’s rural areas, and the rural people’s income and living standards have been greatly improved. However, there are still large numbers of the rural population suffering from a lack of basic needs particularly food and clothing. The Chinese government has attached great importance to poverty alleviation and stressed that the way out of poverty was by reliance on self-management, developing the local economy, using local natural and human resources and applying science and technology. The long-term anti-poverty strategic plan requires that the rural people enhance their self-reliance capability as well as to improve their education and technological levels to meet the challenges. Rural poverty alleviation will not only benefit the poor rural population, but also contribute greatly to the rural economic and social development of the whole of China.