Solving Old Problems with New Methods

by+Fang+Kecheng+and+Nan+Fang

Compared with more macro- scopic subjects like economic indices and regional development， poverty alleviation and social assistance are definitely more concrete topics. Due to Chinas vast population， poverty alleviation and social assistance can affect many. For a country at a critical phase of deepening reform， they should be a key driver of resource re-allocation and social equity realization.

From Spots to Areas

China Rural Poverty Alleviation and Development Program （2011-2020） changed the countrys target for poverty alleviation from poverty-stricken counties to contiguous poverty-stricken areas. A total of 14 such areas， including Tibet and mountainous border areas in western Yunnan， were designated by the program as major battlefields to fight poverty， with most crossing at least two provinces administratively.

Actually， as early as the mid-1980s， China had already proposed the “area”concept for poverty alleviation projects. However， due to various reasons， most notably a lack of funds， the country had been performing poverty alleviation projects with county as the basic unit. In recent years， with the rapid development of Chinas economy， the country has been able to invest greater resources in less developed areas， and contiguous poverty-stricken areas have finally been made into formal policy.

China has been increasing its investment in poverty alleviation in recent years. In 2013， Chinas investment in special poverty reduction programs reached 39.4 billion yuan. In 2014， the figure topped 43.3 billion yuan， and in 2015， the figure is expected to see further growth. The proposal of contiguous poverty-stricken areas not only relates to money， but also the countrys distribution of poverty. According to data from the National Bureau of Statistics， Chinas poverty-stricken population primarily inhabits these contiguous areas amidst special difficulties. Poverty alleviation in contiguous areas aims squarely at the least developed places. In fact， Chinas overall poverty alleviation efforts have aimed more accurately in recent years. In 2001， the country formulated policies to highlight poverty-stricken villages instead of counties. In recent years， more local governments have aimed directly at low income families.

According to Huang Chengwei， vice director of the International Poverty Reduction Center of the State Council Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development， most contiguous poverty-stricken areas are located along the borders of several provinces. “In this situation， new poverty reduction methods could also enhance regional development，”opines Huang. Wang Sangui， director of the Research Center of Anti-Poverty Issues， Renmin University， explained the situation thusly： “From poverty-stricken counties to contiguous poverty-stricken areas， Chinas investment in poverty alleviation has become more systematic. At the same time， the country is working to aim more accurately， from poverty-stricken counties to townships， villages and even families.”While the government-led model remains a major feature of Chinas poverty alleviation efforts， greater social forces have participated in recent years. “For example， some resources allocated to poverty reduction move through social organizations，” notes Ren Changqing， researcher with the Rural Development Institute of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. “In some places， local governments are offering micro-financing through NGOs.”

New Explorations on Social Assistance

China has already established a comparatively systematic social assistance network covering both urban and rural areas. People covered by the system include low-income residents， senior citizens lacking support， the disabled， those unable to work and orphans. Along with conventional social relief work， China also carries out emergency and temporary social relief efforts.

On May 1， 2014， Provisional Regulations on Social Assistance came into effect. It marked the first time China identified eight social relief rules in the form of administrative regulations， including the minimum subsistence guarantee， supporting those in exceptional poverty， disaster relief， medical assistance， housing assistance， education aid， employment assis- tance， and temporary aid.

The Regulations established several new rules for social relief work， such as emphasis on equal rights， equal opportunities， and equal rules among applicants. For example， in terms of applying for the minimum subsistence allowances， urban and rural residents now adopt the same process and abide by the same rules. Both organizations and individuals are encouraged to participate in social relief efforts through various methods. Social work agencies and volunteers should play a big role in social relief by providing psychological counseling or social inclusion services for targeted groups.

Actually， greater exploration of Chinas social assistance started earlier. In 2013， Chinas Ministry of Civil Affairs began pilot projects for a child welfare system in Jiangsu Province. Children are classified into four groups， namely orphans， children with difficulties （disabilities， severe illness， and homeless）， children in struggling families， and ordinary children. Each group is guaranteed with different social welfare. Although some experts believe this classification remains ambiguous， many have made encouraging remarks about the projects. “In the past， the Ministry of Civil Affairs paid more attention on orphans，”reveals Tong Xiaojun， professor at the China Youth University for Political Sciences. “The ministry showed concern for kids in families， but it never classified kids receiving social relief into more specific groups. According to the pilot projects， now more children will be covered by the net. Some who were not previously covered now enjoy the benefits. Disabled children， for instance， previously only received help from organizations for disabilities.”

Of course， like poverty alleviation， social relief is expected to see greater social forces join efforts under government leadership. However， as various explorations are conducted， the social relief system in China still has a long way to go before it matures.