On the morning of March 9th, a press conference was held for the fifth session of the 12th CPPCC National Committee. CPPCC members Huang Jiefu, Wang Wenbiao, Hui Ka Yan, Hu Xiaoyi, and Robin Li, focusing on the key task of ensuring and improving people's livelihood, answered reporters’ questions on precise of poverty alleviation and elimination, improvement of medical public services, promotion of employment by entrepreneurship, advancement of pension services, continual strengthening of environmental protection, and ecological development, etc.

When answering the question from people's Daily reporter, Hui Ka Yan, a member of the CPPCC Standing Committee and the president of Evergrande Group board, said China had more than 43 million poor population and most of them were living in some places with difficult natural conditions and very weak industry. Thus, it became more difficult to eliminate poverty, and the remaining problems should be called “hard bone”. He believed that gnawing those bones first required comprehensive measures for poverty alleviation in terms of industry, relocation, education. Besides, it needed not only "blood transfusion" but also “hemopoiesis”, with fast effect and long-term effectiveness. Hui Ka Yan also said that industrial poverty alleviation was of importance, which consisted of three major elements -- establishment of cooperatives, development of industry by local conditions, and introduction of upstream and downstream enterprises.

The question-answer records were as follows:

China Daily reporter: I would like to ask committee member of Hui Ka Yan. In the past year, China had made great progress in difficult problem of poverty elimination. However, the task of poverty elimination would become more and more difficult. Last year, NPPC made investigation of areas such as Dabie Mountain Area, Wuling Mountain Area, and Yan’an for development of poverty alleviation, encouraged NPPCC members to take part in solving difficult problem of poverty elimination. As a member of NPPCC and an entrepreneur, what did you think the effective measures for development of poverty alleviation were?

Hui Ka Yan: You asked a good question, you must have been focusing on the problem of poverty alleviation. General Secretary Xi Jinping had stressed for many times that, it was a solemn task for our party to ensure that the poor rural population would be out of poverty as scheduled on 2020. This was the bottom line task of building a moderately prosperous society. Last year, about 12 million poor people in China realized poverty alleviation, which exceeded the annual task. The poverty alleviation efforts were unprecedented. Poverty alleviation and development had made a good start.

At present, China had about 43 million poor population, those people were still living in places with bad natural conditions and weak industrial base. Thus, it became more and more difficult to eliminate poverty, and the remaining problems should be called “hard bones”.

How to gnaw these “hard bones”? In my opinion, we first needed comprehensive measures for poverty alleviation in terms of industry, relocation, education and support. Then we not only need "blood transfusion" but also "hemopoiesis", with fast effect and long-term effectiveness. We were keenly aware that poverty alleviation was very important by supporting Dafang County. If there was no local industry as support for poverty alleviation, it was easy to return original poverty; similarly, if there was no local industry as support for relocation of poverty alleviation, it was easy to move out but difficult to live steadily. The main means of production for poor people were land and labor force. Only by relying on the development of industry and converting the land and labor force of poor people into the income of the family, could poverty be eliminated. Half of 3 billion yuan we invested in Dafang County were used in the industrial poverty alleviation.

How could we do well in poverty alleviation? I thought there were three important key points: first, the establishment of cooperatives; second, development of industries in accordance with local conditions; third, the introduction of upstream and downstream enterprises.

The first was the establishment of cooperatives. More than 40% poor people were caused by illness. Some had no ability to work, some were lack of funds or technology, and some had no knowledge of business. In this case, they required the cooperatives to organize them. By land shares, dividends and income within their own efforts, they would realize sustainable income and eliminate poverty steadily.

Second, we needed to develop industries in accordance with local conditions. The resource conditions in poverty-stricken areas varied. Some places were suitable for grain and cotton, some for melons and vegetables, some for pigs and cattle, some for rural tourism, and the like. Therefore, it needed to choose good industry by local conditions and to develop industry in line with local conditions.

Third, we needed to introduce upstream and downstream enterprises. The market of agricultural products fluctuated frequently. Many people did not know what to plant or how much they should plant, even some did not know how to plant them, and also did not know whom to sell. Hence, at this time, we needed to introduce upstream and downstream enterprises, which would provide guide before production according to market situation; supply means of production, production management and technical services in the process of production; offer home purchase service and help sell in the market, forming an industrial operation model of integration of manufacturing and marketing.

In a word, I think the three essential factors for industrial poverty alleviation are to set up cooperatives, develop industries in accordance with local conditions and introduce upstream and downstream enterprises.

We believe that under the strong leadership of the Party Central Committee with general secretary Xi Jinping as the core, we would certainly win the battle against poverty.

Fifth Session of the 12th CPPCC National Committee Press Conference · Hui Ka Yan: poverty alleviation not only needs “blood transfusion” but also “hemopoiesis”, with fast effect and long-term effectiveness.