The year of 2020 was unusual. Under the firm leadership of the CPC Central Committee with ComradeXi Jinping at the core, the Chinese people consolidated and endured severe challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic, floods and changing world conditions. Great achievements were made in the "13th Five-Year Plan", namely the battle against poverty, and the building of the moderately prosperous society in all respects, which mark a new starting point for the two centenary goals of socialism with Chinese characteristics for a new era.

Thanks to the high trust and strong support from all social forces, CFPA forged ahead against the COVID-19 pandemic and poverty in 2020, reaching new breakthroughs and a new level in our work. Over the year, CFPA had a donation income of RMB 1.103 billion, and an expenditure of RMB 1.093 billion, benefiting 8.1189 million person-times in total. The Three-year Action Plan for poverty alleviation was complete in all respects. International programs were continuously conducted in Myanmar, Nepal, Ethiopia, Pakistan, Cambodia, Laos, and other countries. We are fully aware that these achievements are attributed to the active participation and strong support of our partners and all social sectors, to whom we convey sincere gratitude and respect!

On February 25, 2021, the National Summary and Commendation Conference for Poverty Alleviation was held, on which President Xi Jinping solemnly announced: with joint efforts of the CPC and the Chinese people, a total victory was achieved in the battle against poverty on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the founding of CPC. Under the current standard, 98.99 million impoverished people in rural areas have shaken off poverty, 832 impoverished counties have been lifted out of poverty, and 128,000 poor villages have been removed from the poverty list. The overall regional poverty has been solved, and the arduous task of eradicating absolute poverty has been completed, making an unprecedented miracle in human history!

Since the 18th CPC National Congress, CFPA has focused on the decisive battle against poverty, and given full play to its advantages, to motivate social resources and forces to expand poverty alleviation, enhance the implementation of poverty alleviation projects, and eradicate poverty with all efforts. Based on the actual demands of poverty-stricken areas and impoverished groups, we have developed influential, credible and practical poverty alleviation projects in fields of industry, education, healthcare and disaster relief, including trainings on poverty alleviation collaboration, Shanpin E-commerce, Bona Villa Program, Disaster Relief Program, New Great Wall Scholarship Program, Domestic Panda Pack Project, Children Companion Plan, Backbone Project (Health Insurance for Poor Families' Labors), and Nutritious Meals Program. Over the eight years of battle against poverty, we have raised RMB 5.2 billion of funds and materials in total, accounting for 66% of those that have been raised since the founding of the foundation, and benefited 35.3776 million person-times.

To serve the central task and overall plan, we pursued effective poverty alleviation

CFPA was founded to meet the need of poverty alleviation and development with the pace of reform and opening-up. We have witnessed and participated in the progress of poverty alleviation in China over thirty years, from theSeven-Year Priority Poverty Alleviation Program (1994-2000), the Outline for Development-Oriented Poverty Alleviation for China's Rural Areas (2001-2010), to targeted Poverty Alleviation, and battle against poverty. We have contributed to promoting poverty reduction and completing the building of the moderately prosperous society in an all-round way according to the national poverty alleviation and development strategy.

Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at the core has made key deployments and overall plans for winning the battle against poverty by 2020 as the baseline task and landmark target in completing the building of the moderately prosperous society in an all-round way. The requirement was clarified: to mobilize the whole party, country and society to adhere to targeted poverty alleviation, targeted poverty elimination and integrated planning of poverty alleviation, in which we should focus on the deeply-impoverished areas, to ensure that impoverished people in rural areas under the current standard in China will shake off poverty by 2020, all poor counties will be lifted out of poverty, and overall regional poverty will be solved.

With a deep understanding of its mission and responsibility, CFPA actively responded to the call of the central government. Based on our advantages, we further improved institutional management, innovated the models and contents of poverty alleviation projects, and scientifically integrated resources and channels, participating in poverty alleviation with full strength. Under the guidance of Xi Jinping's thought of socialism with Chinese characteristics in a new era and the important strategic thought of poverty alleviation and development, the foundation gradually formed the idea of " a focus on the overall goal, major region, and specialization, as well as a target to expand the coverage of poverty alleviation". At the end of 2017, we formulated theThree-Year Action Plan of China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation on Participating in the Battle against Poverty (2018-2020) in accordance with the requirements of the State Council Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development and the Ministry of Civil Affairs, in which the purpose of raising RMB 1 billion for poverty alleviation in three years was clarified. By the end of 2020, a total of RMB 2.208 billion had been invested in the three-year poverty alleviation, exceeding the planned target. Over the past three years, the foundation had enhanced its efforts in fundraising, with a large increase of donation income for poverty alleviation each year. In 2018, the donation income was RMB 733 million, in 2019, RMB 881 million, and in 2020, RMB 1.103 billion. At the same time, we increased investment in poverty alleviation, with the expenditure on poverty alleviation exceeding 100% of the total income in the previous year for three consecutive years. In 2018, the expenditure on poverty alleviation was RMB 647 million, 101% of the total income in 2017; in 2019, the expenditure on poverty alleviation was RMB 830 million, 108% of the total income in 2018; in 2020, the expenditure was RMB 1.093 billion, the biggest input ever since, accounting for 117% of the total income in 2019.

Through innovations and persistence, we actively took the initiative in the battle against poverty

CFPA adhered to the theme of implementing the major deployment of the central government on poverty alleviation and development, especially on the battle against poverty, and carried out the major plans focusing on the critical factors of poverty-stricken areas, beneficiaries of poverty alleviation, and lifting impoverished population out of poverty. We made all efforts to mobilize and gather social forces to participate in poverty alleviation and development. We built platforms, pooled resources, entered remote mountains, and visited villages; carried out a series of poverty alleviation programs centering around livelihood development, health care, education, humanitarian aid, and paired-up assistance in poverty alleviation. We innovated models and explored solutions to poverty issues. We adhered to comprehensive, refined management and open operation in an all-round way during the whole process, from project planning to design and implementation, to ensure the delivery and effect of contributions from all walks of life. 

Over the eight years of battle against poverty, we have raised RMB 5.199 billion of funds and materials in total, accounting for 66% of those that have been raised since the founding of the foundation 32 years ago, and benefited 35.3776 million person-times. 

Following the country's overall work plan for poverty alleviation, we adhered to the problem-oriented concept to cope with three critical constraints and issues on poverty alleviation, i.e., key areas, key groups and impoverished people. Through baseline surveys, we targeted the problems, developed plans, designed projects, raised funds, and elaborately organized and implemented the plans. We directed more new resources for poverty alleviation to impoverished areas, especially deeply-impoverished areas. We initiated new projects based on the needs of the poor, which were tailored and effectively implemented to meet their various needs for shaking off poverty and consolidating the results. A series of large-scale, effective, influential philanthropy projects for poverty alleviation were launched successively, in combination with our years of experience in poverty alleviation at the front line, and on the basis of the demands of impoverished areas. Poverty Alleviation through Livelihood Development was developed in an innovative manner with the carriers of farmer organization, industrial organization, and interest linkage improvement mechanism, including Shanpin E-commerce, Bona Villa Program, Sichuan Mengding Mountain Institute of Cooperative Development and Training. Poverty Alleviation through Health Care was carried out in an innovative way targeting the demand of impoverished groups for physical and mental health, such as Backbone Project (Health Insurance for Poor Families' Labors), Children Companion Plan, and Nutritious Meals Program. Poverty Alleviation through Education was conducted continuously to block the intergenerational transmission of poverty, such as New Great Wall Scholarship Program for Undergraduate Students, and New Great Wall Scholarship Program for High School Students. Poverty Alleviation through Humanitarian Aid was carried out for the purpose of alleviating poverty caused by disasters and enhancing the resilience of impoverished communities. 

While implementing the projects, we work to promote the core values of socialism and the traditional virtues embedded in the Chinese Culture to advocate social support for the impoverished, enhance the spirit of poverty reduction and doing good, and explore love and kindness, expanding the social impact of poverty alleviation undertakings. Thereby, we facilitated the donors and recipients to build mutual trust and connections, displaying vivid and touching stories of poverty alleviation in China.

We organized a series of activities, such as "Annual Donors Conference" and " Seminars themed Social Forces Participating in Poverty Alleviation", to gather more resources supporting poverty alleviation comprehensively; we built up an open, transparent and convenient platform to mobilize the public to participate in poverty alleviation. We utilized new technologies and forms to expand channels for the public to participate in poverty alleviation, promoting a series of platforms, including One Yuan Donation Initiative, Great Walker, "Unite the Force for Good" Fundraising Activity, and Monthly Giving Initiative, and innovated projects that gave full play to these platforms. Philanthropic donation platforms such as SMS, WeChat and Alipay were launched to increase the engagement of public donations. Public channels and platforms for poverty alleviation were established with third parties, including Alibaba Philanthropy, Ant Love, Tencent Charity and Weibophilanthropy. Since 2016, the foundation started to participate in the annual "Love Knows No Borders" International Charity Sale initiated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which invites foreign embassies in China, international organizations based in China, Chinese enterprises and public institutions, attracting a total of 30,000 participants in five years and raising RMB 25.18 million of donations. 

Upholding unity in the cause of poverty alleviation, we completed important tasks entrusted by supervising agencies

In 2020, the foundation undertook the task of lifting 1,113 key poverty-stricken villages out of poverty entrusted by the State Council Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development. Overcoming a range of difficulties, we organized 20 supervising teams among 198 Party member staff. According to the requirement of direct connection and supervision, we promoted the supervision tasks among villagers in an orderly and effective way. By the end of 2020, 12 key supervision tasks had been organized in total. We assisted in contacting and mobilizing 2522 social institutions, including 1797 enterprises and 725 social organizations. The total fund donations reached RMB 573.86 million, with an average of RMB 515,600 per village, completing 182.8% of the goal set. The total amount of material donations reached RMB 74.07 million, completing 378% of the goal set. 8758 people were assisted in employment, completing 207.8% of the goal set. RMB 70.6 million was invested in poverty alleviation through consumption, completing 113.6% of the goal set. All the four major assistance measures exceeded the planned work targets.

The foundation actively facilitated Paired-Up Assistance in Poverty Alleviation in Leishan County of Guizhou, Weiyuan County of Gansu, and Shicheng County of Jiangxi. From 2016 to 2020, CFPA invested more than RMB 58.6 million in the three counties: RMB 29 million in Leishan County, RMB 21 million in Weiyuan County, and RMB 8 million in Shicheng County. A range of poverty alleviation projects through Livelihood Development, Health Care, and Tourism were carried out, including Bona Villa Program, Nutritious Meals Program, New Great Wall Scholarship Program for High School Students, Domestic Panda Pack Project, Bridge Construction Project, Children Companion Plan, and Love KitchenProgram, benefitting 32,000 children, women and elderly people. 

To respond to the Belt & Road Initiative, we uphold the philosophy of "love without borders", and promote "the building of a community with a shared future for mankind" 

People-to-people connectivity was promoted with other countries and regions, especially those along the Belt & Road. By the end of 2020, RMB 267 million had been invested in 24 countries and regions, including Myanmar, Nepal, Ethiopia, Laos, Cambodia, Pakistan, Namibia and Uganda, benefiting 1.34 million people. International aid and development programs have won recognition among the governments, the communities and relevant parties of the targeted countries and regions. 

Looking into the future, we shall strive to consolidate and expand the achievement of poverty alleviation, effectively promote rural revitalization, and make new contributions

Shaking off poverty is not the finish line, but the starting point of new lives and new endeavors. Facing new opportunities in rural revitalization at a new stage, we will make persistent efforts to improve team capabilities, strengthen theoretical learning and practical exploration to promote the development of agriculture, rural areas and farmers.

We will continue to implement programs that serve to consolidate the achievements of poverty alleviation. We will maintain and gradually increase fund support in projects such as New Great Wall, Domestic Panda Pack Project, Backbone Project (Health Insurance for Poor Families' Labors), Nutritious Meals Program, Disaster Relief Program, and Children Companion Plan, targeting underdeveloped areas and low-income population in particular.

We will implement innovative programs that serve to expand the achievements of poverty alleviation. We will accelerate innovation, research and upgrading of achievements in poverty alleviation according to the actual needs of underdeveloped areas and low-income population with the Moving Forward - Rural Education Overall Improvement Program. We will carry out the Running Water County NPO Development Initiative, aiming at the weak points of NPOs in western China in terms of organizational development, professionality and resource mobilization. Thereby, we will support the development of these county-level NPOs by introducing and undertaking resources for social assistance, expanding the achievements in poverty alleviation, establishing a long-term mechanism to tackle relative poverty, and promoting rural revitalization by all means. Since the project pilot were launched in the first half of 2020, the project has been supported by the municipal and county governments of 10 pilot areas, including Bijie, Bazhong, Yinjiang, Mabian, Pingchang, Xuan'en, Sinan, Yanhe, Tongjiang and Xishui. A cooperative model and participation mechanism have been initially formed, laying the foundation for an expansion of the project. By the end of 2020, RMB 19.2347 million had been invested on the project.

We will align efforts to consolidate and expand the achievements in poverty alleviation and effective connection to rural revitalization. By concluding years of experience in projects on rural development issues, we upgraded Bona Villa Program and Shanpin E-commerce to brand programs of rural revitalization, to enhance local industries, create local brands, and cultivate new rural talents.

We will continue to tell Chinese stories of poverty alleviation by implementing international aid and development programs such as the Panda Pack Project and Smiling Children School Feeding Program. We actively responded to the Belt & Road Initiative, and focused on "building the community of shared future for mankind" to enhance people-to-people connectivity with other countries and regions, and convey the friendship of Chinese People.

On the new stage, we should remain true to our original aspiration and keep our mission firmly in mind, under the guidance of Xi Jinping's thought of socialism with Chinese characteristics in a new era. Moreover, we shall have a deeper understanding of Xi Jinping's important strategic thoughts of boosting agriculture, rural areas and farmers’ livelihood, and rural revitalization, which act as the guideline for promoting the foundation's work, and as the practical textbook for enhancing our organization development in all respects, learning and putting them into practice. We will earnestly implement the spirit of the second to fifth plenary sessions of the 19th CPC Central Committee, and the spirit of the Central Rural Work Conference and Central Working Conference on Poverty Alleviation and Development. We will strengthen "Four Consciousnesses" and "Four-sphere Confidence", firmly upholding General Secretary Xi Jinping’s core position on the CPC Central Committee and in the Party as a whole, and upholding the Central Committee’s authority and its centralized, unified leadership. We will face new challenges and new tasks under new requirements, with the purpose of consolidating and expanding the achievements of poverty alleviation to facilitate rural revitalization. We will play our role in the third income distribution based on our missions and advantages. We will delicately plan for the work in the next five years according to the 14th Five-Year Plan blueprint, to become the main force connecting poverty alleviation and rural revitalization with the assistance of social organizations. The foundation will continue to serve the central task and overall plan, making contributions to poverty alleviation, development and charities with Chinese characteristics, and making an unremitting endeavor to consolidate and expand the achievements of poverty alleviation and realize rural revitalization in all respects. 

Remarks by President, China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation

Zheng Wenkai