Xinhua News Agency:
My question is for Minister Qi Yu. You mentioned in your report about "strengthening Party building to implement targeted poverty reduction and alleviation." We know that, in recent years, many first Party secretaries were sent to local villages for poverty alleviation. Could you provide us an introduction to that?
Qi Yu:
Thanks. Strengthening Party building to implement targeted poverty reduction and alleviation is clarified by General Secretary Xi Jinping and the Central Party Committee. The central organization department of the CPC and the Party committees at all levels should fully grasp and put into practice the principles from General Secretary Xi Jinping's major addresses, to guarantee victory in the fight against poverty.
The work we did to implement targeted poverty reduction through Party building:
Firstly, the leading groups in poor counties teamed up with the best cadres. At the same time, we kept their original positions to make sure that they were fully committed to their work on poverty reduction and alleviation.
Secondly, we provided support so that more cadres and talents can go to work in poor areas. A total of 1,054 cadres were selected from the central government departments and eastern China to go to poor counties, mostly in central and western regions, and assumed a temporary post for poverty reduction. And we also encourage talents to make their contributions in the front-line of the battle against poverty. Every year, about 100,000 talents, including teachers, doctors, scientists and technicians, implement their specific work in poor areas.
Thirdly, we bring into full play the role of community-level Party organizations in leading the Party members to devote themselves to poverty reduction. In recent years, we selected over 30,000 cadres as the Party branch secretaries in poor areas, in order to organize a strong leading group in the front-line of poverty reduction.
The best cadres are those who are good at leading people to lift themselves out of poverty. A total of 195,000 cadres from county and above-level government organs were sent to work in poor villages as first party secretary. Different from the Party branch secretaries who are already working in local poor villages, the cadres who we send there are called the First Secretary.
At the same time, we untied all forces from teams stationed in villages, college graduates working as village heads as well as volunteers. We also strengthened the training for CPC members, especially for those who work in poor areas, in a bid to lead the local people to lift themselves out of poverty.
In addition, through the transfer payment system and supported by the Party membership dues, we improved the fund guarantee system at the village level, especially in the poor villages. We encourage the development of collective economies in undeveloped villages where young and able labor is limited.
Fourthly, the Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee has held work meetings for poverty reduction and alleviation through Party building for two years, and calls for exchanging experiences on poverty reduction.
As required, heads of the Organization Department at provincial level should visit all the poor counties, and also the poor villages. The Heads of the Organization Department at municipal level should also visit all the poor villages and towns. The Heads of the Organization Department at county level should also visit all the poor villages. Through these on-the-spot investigations, we can further push forward the work on poverty reduction and alleviation.
Practice has proven that Party building has offered solid guarantees for poverty reduction and alleviation. The achievement made in poverty reduction and alleviation also represents the progress made in Party building.
Guo Weimin:
I also take part in the poverty reduction work. The first party secretaries sent to the poor villages play a vital role in lifting people out of poverty. And there are many touching stories. For example, a young female cadre, a mother of two kids, was appointed as the first secretary in a poor village in Jilin Province, where she stays for at least six days every week. If reporters at home and abroad are willing to report on the first party secretary, we'd love to offer services and arrange it for you.