The Chinese government announced Tuesday that it will further increase financial assistance to ethnic groups with a population of 100,000 and less within the next five years, so as to improve infrastructure of their villages, enhance their living standards, and resolve the issue of food and clothing for them.

According to a press conference held by the State Ethnic Affairs Commission, the State Development and Reform Commission has decided to allocate 1 billion yuan (about 124 million US dollars) for building infrastructure for these smaller ethnic groups.

The Ministry of Finance plans to give 112 million yuan (about 135 million US dollars) for improving living standards of smaller ethnic groups and increasing their income, while the State Development Bank plans to increase credit loans to these minority people.

The State Council Poverty-Eradication and Development Office has launched a package program to relieve all the 345 villages of smaller ethnic groups in the coming few years.

Donations for smaller ethnic groups

The government policy to help relieve ethnic groups with a population of 100,000 or less has met with warm response from people of all circles, said the State Ethnic Affairs Commission at Tuesday's press conference.

Yeung Chun-Kam, chairman of the board of the Hong Kong Entrepreneur Series and member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), has announced a donation of 8 million yuan (about 990,000 US dollars), or 1.6 million yuan (about 190,000US dollars) per year, to finance the government-backed poverty-eradication programs for smaller ethnic groups.

Meanwhile, the UNDP and the World Bank have said, separately, that they will cooperate with Chinese government departments concerned for the same purpose.

Source: Xinhua