易地扶贫搬迁 (yidi fupin banqian): Relocating the poor

Premier Li Keqiang said recently that China should relocate people living in impoverished regions with no sustainable conditions. In Li's written instruction, relocation is crucial for targeted poverty alleviation efforts, and is a key measure so the country can meet its poverty alleviation goal to build a comprehensively well-off society in five years. The government plans to lift about 10 million people out of poverty by 2020 by relocating them.

The central government will increase fiscal support and provide more channels to finance relocation of people living in poverty. The local authorities are required to pay attention to both relocation and development. They should ensure the basic demands of relocated households, such as housing, healthcare, education and employment, are met.

Vice-Premier Wang Yang said at the meeting that relocation should be combined with the promotion of urbanization and agricultural modernization. The authorities should encourage relocated residents to rear animals, enhance the employment training of the relocated citizens and improve the infrastructure and public services in resettlement areas.

At the beginning of this year, China had 70.2 million people below the poverty line. The country has vowed to lift all the impoverished population out of poverty by 2020.