The pledge made by the State Council Poverty-relief Office that the country will help lift poverty-stricken rural citizens out of difficulty by 2010 is certainly welcome, not only by those in the target group, but by others who have concerned themselves with the pitiable situation.

The initiative, which was released on Thursday, will benefit the 28 million rural people now struggling below the national poverty level. Meanwhile, 60 million others with low incomes will also see marked improvement in their finances.

The commitment to make greater efforts in poverty reduction once again highlights the responsible image of the government. It will not only contribute to the country's overall social and economic development but also to the world's poverty-relief endeavour.

China's achievements in the area of poverty relief has won worldwide acclaim in recent years. A report released last month by the United Nations's Development Programme in Beijing pointed out that much of the impressive reduction in global poverty has been driven by China's incredible economic growth of over 9 per cent a year in the 1990s, lifting 150 million people out of poverty.

Nevertheless, given the country's huge population base, the current number of people in poverty is still large enough to be a drain on the national ambition of building a well-off society by the middle of this century.

What's more, providing basic living conditions and bringing common prosperity to all should definitely be the direction of any civilized and advanced society. The widening gap between the haves and have-nots has already caused social discontent and resulted in unbalanced development in the country.

Of course, it is by no means an easy task to make the good blessings a reality.

Those who have been left in poverty are largely living in places with the most difficult natural conditions. Without a huge injection of funds to provide necessary infrastructure and basic needs like drinking water, income relief is a hollow promise.

It is equally important to help the poor acquire the ability to make their ends meet instead of totally relying on governmental or social relief.

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