By the end of 2005, China still had 23.65 million farmers living on less than one dollar a day, the number being second only to India. The poverty alleviation pattern in which relatively developed eastern regions help western regions conforms to China's national conditions, and this is also a duty of eastern regions since the reform and opening up were firstly carried out there.

The remark was made at the 1st Form on Sustainable Development Strategy in Chinese Poverty-stricken Regions held in Tianjin Municipality, May 13-14.

By People's Daily Online