PREFACE

　　Poverty alleviation and development is a great and noble cause. After years’ well-planned, organized and large-scale efforts on poverty reduction, China has made remarkable achievements in rural poverty alleviation and development and is the first country to achieve the United Nations Millennium Development Goal of halving poverty-stricken population. The economic strength of poverty-stricken areas has been enhanced, infrastructure has been improved significantly, the biological deterioration trend has been contained primarily and the level of poverty alleviation and development work has been improved obviously. Poverty alleviation and development has improved the spirit of self-reliance and the ability of self-development of the masses in impoverished areas and played an important role in boosting the healthy and sustained development of the national economy, social harmony and ethnic solidarity.

　　China’s great achievements in poverty reduction have drawn attention from the whole society. To meet the needs of local and foreign government organizations, international organizations, social groups, enterprises, public institutions, public welfare and charity organizations, universities, scientific research institutes and individuals that work on, participate in and engage in research of poverty reduction and development for information about China’s poverty alleviation and development, provide information exchange and decision-making reference for domestic and overseas poverty alleviation organizations, provide reference for related organizations’ research on China’s problems in poverty alleviation and development, provide the propaganda tool for poverty alleviation’s entry into a new stage and consequently draw more attention and stress from the whole society on poverty alleviation and development, we started planning and editing a large-scale reference book on China’s poverty alleviation and development - “Yearbook of China Poverty Alleviation and Development” in 2009.

　　The Yearbook aims to reflect the annual overview of China’s poverty alleviation and development systematically, as well as the main policy measures and effect, and to show the poverty alleviation contents and achievements of all departments, all industries, all areas and all social groups. It is composed of 12 parts, namely History of Poverty Alleviation, Special Poverty Alleviation, Local Poverty Alleviation, Industrial Poverty Alleviation, Fixed-Point Poverty Alleviation, East-West Pairing-Off Cooperation for Poverty Reduction, Social Poverty Alleviation, International Cooperation, Urban Poverty Alleviation, Enterprises’ Poverty Alleviation, Annual Topics and Statistics Data.

　　“Yearbook of China Poverty Alleviation and Development (2010)” is the first yearbook that introduces China’s poverty alleviation and development generally. It is systematic, authoritative, scientific and continuous, and contains abundant information.

　　The compilation of this yearbook takes a whole year with powerful support from member units of the State Council Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development, poverty alleviation offices of all provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities), related associations of provinces (municipalities and cities specifically designated in the state plan), some large and medium-sized state-owned enterprises, social forces and poverty alleviation researchers. Sincere thanks to all the units and individuals that concern and support the compiling and publishing of “Yearbook of China Poverty Alleviation and Development (2010)”. We welcome your comments and suggestions.

 

　　Fan Xiaojian

　　October 2010, Beijing