Beijing tells China’s poor that help is coming, as leaders order wider social security net amid rising economic toll
- China’s stagnant economic recovery has suppressed incomes, but achieving GDP growth goals could depend on people opening up their pocketbooks again
- State Council also puts onus on local governments to bolster support for those most in need, including the poor and elderly, while also vowing to keep them warm this winter
China will “dynamically monitor” the living conditions of low-income groups while providing critical assistance for those living on or below the breadline, Beijing vowed on Tuesday as the economy’s stagnant post-Covid recovery continues to take a heavy toll on jobs and household earnings.
The order for a stronger social security net came amid concerns over whether the second-largest economy has bottomed out yet, especially as persistent property woes and geopolitical uncertainties continue to bite.
Government assistance should be “more precise, prompt, and effective” to safeguard people’s livelihoods, the State Council determined at a meeting chaired by Premier Li Qiang, according to Xinhua.
China’s cabinet also said that local governments across the country “must shoulder their responsibilities”, Xinhua added, specifically mentioning region-specific services such as food assistance for the elderly and poor, and an increase in policy support for China’s massive rural population.
