Wu De, CPPCC National Committee Member and President of Sichuan Agricultural University:

Victory in the fight against poverty will not be possible without eradicating abject poverty. A four-pronged strategy - targeted measures, support to job creating industries, application of hi-tech solutions and provision of equal access to education – is vital to rooting out extreme poverty. Measures should include providing access to safe drinking water, moving people out of the mountains to new settlements, and evaluating officials’ performance against established targets. It is also important to closely monitor progress in terms of achieving food security for people living below the breadline and ensuring universal access to free compulsory education, basic healthcare services and affordable housing.

Preventing people from falling back into poverty is another prerequisite for a complete success in the battle against poverty. In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is important to help people that have shaken off poverty weather the crisis by continuing to provide policy and material support. Poverty alleviation task forces should remain committed to offering further assistance to them, and oversight should be prioritized to ensure accountability.