Chinese Officials Publish Dubious Figures on Poverty Alleviation

People eat dinner on the streets of a migrant village on the outskirts of Beijing, on Aug. 17, 2017. Nicolas Asfouri/AFP/Getty Images

Commentary

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) media repeatedly reported last month that the goal of alleviating poverty in 2020 has been reached. The CCP’s spokesperson called it a contribution to the world—a small praise that Party leader Xi Jinping needs at this time in order to maintain his authority while facing pressures both at home and abroad.

Poverty Alleviation in Guizhou Province

Local officials in Guizhou Province announced on Nov. 23, 2020 that the last nine impoverished counties they identified in 2019 were lifted out of poverty.