Land policy change precursor to reform and opening-up

Editor's Note: China is striding firmly toward its target of eliminating absolute poverty by the end of this year. What factors are behind the imminent success of this mission? In the first of a series of articles, a senior journalist of China Daily tries to find the answers.

When the COVID-19 pandemic broke out early this year, and cities and towns, one after another, had to be locked down and production lines closed, I realized we were in for big trouble. As a longtime observer and a participant in China's poverty alleviation campaign, my top concern was whether China would postpone or stick to its original target of eliminating absolute poverty by the end of this year.

To my great relief, even when the whole nation was following strict measures and the economy had all but come to standstill in the first quarter, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China emphasized that its original goal of eliminating abject poverty by the end of 2020 would not change, reflecting the nation's determination to defeat the monster of poverty at all costs.