CCTV9英语新闻：CPPCC members talk on improving living standards

Five members of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference have briefed the media on the improvement of living standards. Poverty alleviation was a major focus.

Huang Jiefu (C), Fan Xiaojian (2nd R), Hu Xiaoyi (2nd L), Li Weihong (1st R) and Liu Changming, five members of the 12th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, give a press conference on the development of people's livelihood in Beijing, capital of China, March 9, 2016. (Xinhua/Li Xin)

An economic super-engine. But 70 million of its people are still living under the poverty line - meaning they earn less than one US dollar a day. China has pledged to lift them all out of poverty by 2020. Members of the top political advisory body acknowledge it's an ambitious goal.

"First of all, these people are in deep poverty, meaning their income is FAR less than the national average. Second, they've been in chronic poverty, passed on from one generation to the next. Third, they are impoverished by various specific reasons, including environmental, social developmental, or illness-induced. These are all special types of poverty," CPPCC member Fan Xiaojian said.

On Tuesday, President Xi Jinping met with a group of lawmakers from Hunan. Poverty alleviation was high on his agenda. The president directed governments at all levels to carry out targeted and precise measures to ensure China's rural poor have access to food, clothes, basic education, medical care, and safe homes.

During a work meeting last year on eliminating poverty, the president said "no single poor region nor an individual living in poverty will be left behind."

In the past 30 years, China has lifted more than 600 million citizens out of poverty. That accounts for 70 percent of all the people lifted out of poverty around the world in this period. But the road ahead allows no time for complacency.

"The 2020 goal is a tough task. And on the other hand, we have to look at what it can actually accomplish. It means on top of food, clothing, basic education and healthcare, the poor people will have about eight yuan per day to spare. Seen from this angle, it's a very low target," Fan said.

Delegates say while government allowances helps to some extent, the priority should be the social integration of the rural poor, so they can stand on their own feet.