As the world was dealing with the global pandemic of Covid-19, concerns were raised about China’s ability to meet its target of poverty eradication by end of 2020. However, in the last week of February 2021, President Xi Jinping declared China’s “complete victory” in eradicating absolute poverty during a conference in Beijing. [1] According to the details, China has lifted all rural poor people out of extreme poverty under the current standard, with 832 counties, 128,000 villages, and nearly 100 million rural impoverished people being taken off poverty.
By the announcement of this achievement, China has achieved the first centenary goal of the Communist Party of China (CPC) as per schedule. According to the goals set by Mr Xi, China had pledged to bring rural poverty to zero till the centenary of CPC due in July 2021 along with building a “modern socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced and harmonious’’ by the year 2049.[2] China has also met the goal of ending poverty set by the United Nation’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development 10 years ahead of schedule.[3]
