BEIJING, China (Xinhua) — China has made important contributions to the sustainable development goal of poverty reduction worldwide, according to a report from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

With implementation of the precise poverty alleviation strategy, China has achieved remarkable results in the tough battle against poverty, the ministry said in a report titled China’s Progress Report on Implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (2019).

From the end of 2015 to the end of 2018, the number of people living in poverty in rural areas decreased from 55.75 million to 16.6 million, with their per capita disposable income rising from 7,653 yuan (about $1,093) to 10,371 yuan, the report said.

Special attention has been paid to increasing support for children, women, the disabled and other special groups in impoverished areas. By the end of 2018, a total of 383.8 billion yuan of guaranteed loans had been granted in support of 6.57 million women to start their own businesses and get rich, which has in turn led to better social security for women.

The country worked actively for the international community to identify poverty reduction as a priority in implementing the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda.

Through China-UN Peace and Development Fund and South-South Cooperation Assistance Fund, China and its partners have implemented nearly 100 poverty reduction projects in the relevant developing countries.

Implementation of the China-Africa cooperation plan for poverty reduction and people’s livelihood has been in full swing and 200 Happy Life projects have been carried out.

In 2018, 39 anti-poverty capacity-building trainings were hosted for developing countries, benefiting 1,440 trainees.

The country has continued rolling out poverty reduction demonstration villages in the relevant countries, held high-level international conferences such as Global High Level Forum on Poverty Reduction and Development, Forum on China-Africa Cooperation poverty reduction and development conferences and China-ASEAN Forum on Social Development and Poverty Reduction, and shared its own experiences.

China will continue to carry out further work on precise poverty alleviation, zooming in on areas of deep poverty and especially vulnerable groups for them to have no worries about food or clothes and enjoy security in compulsory education, basic medical care and housing, according to the report.

It will also strive to gradually extend basic endowment coverage to all the poor and vulnerable groups so that all the elderly will be looked after properly.

The coverage of work-related insurance will be further expanded.

The country will also increase international exchanges and cooperation in poverty reduction, share experiences with other developing countries and deepen practical cooperation, thus making positive contributions to the global zero-poverty sustainable development goal, the report said.