At the State Council executive meeting on Feb 22, Premier Li Keqiang gave instructions for poverty alleviation in 2017 and reviewed anti-poverty work from last year.

According to the meeting, authorities met their goal in 2016, having improved the lives of many poor families. The meeting made decisions on key tasks of poverty alleviation for this year, and urged more effective anti-poverty measures and supervision.

Many policies were issued concerning poverty at State Council executive meetings in 2016. In August, the State Council decided to cancel high school fees for poor registered students. In June, a plan was passed to improve healthcare for rural poor families. In April, another plan was passed to improve infrastructure in poor regions.

Since the reform and opening-up thirty years ago, China has received recognition of its anti-poverty achievements, said Premier Li.

The meeting emphasized that work should be done to improve infrastructure and basic public services in poverty-stricken areas, ethnic group areas and remote regions, increase financial investment, support entrepreneurship in poor areas and improve inspection systems regarding anti-poverty work.

The Premier also stressed that supervision mechanisms should be established to ensure deep changes are made in the fight against poverty.

Inspiring poor people to lift themselves out of poverty is another goal, the Premier added.