BEIJING — In an effort to consolidate its poverty elimination achievements, China will strive to ensure that at least 30 million people who have been lifted out of poverty are employed this year, a senior official said on Jan 18.

In 2021, some 31.45 million people lifted out of poverty found jobs, Liu Huanxin, deputy chief of the Office of the Central Rural Work Leading Group and head of the National Rural Revitalization Administration, told a video conference.

That number is 1.26 million higher than the 2020 level, Liu said, pledging efforts to achieve even better results this year.

To that end, Liu said work will be done to boost labor service cooperation between provinces, cities and counties, develop characteristic industries, provide public welfare jobs in rural areas, and support entrepreneurship and flexible employment.

As a result of the country's efforts to consolidate its poverty alleviation achievements and push for rural vitalization, the average net income of people who have shaken off poverty is likely to have reached 12,500 yuan (about $1,968) last year, up over 16.5 percent year-on-year, official data shows.