在全国脱贫攻坚总结表彰大会上的讲话

Speech at a National Conference to Review the Fight against Poverty and Commend Individuals and Groups Involved

习近平

Xi Jinping

2021年2月25日

February 25, 2021

同志们，朋友们：

Comrades and Friends,

今天，我们隆重召开大会，庄严宣告，经过全党全国各族人民共同努力，在迎来中国共产党成立一百周年的重要时刻，我国脱贫攻坚战取得了全面胜利，现行标准下9899万农村贫困人口全部脱贫，832个贫困县全部摘帽，12.8万个贫困村全部出列，区域性整体贫困得到解决，完成了消除绝对贫困的艰巨任务，创造了又一个彪炳史册的人间奇迹！这是中国人民的伟大光荣，是中国共产党的伟大光荣，是中华民族的伟大光荣！

Today, we hold this momentous conference to solemnly declare that through the combined efforts of the whole Party and the entire nation, China has secured a complete victory in its fight against poverty in this important year with the centennial of the Communist Party of China (CPC) fast approaching.

All of the 98.99 million rural residents, 832 counties, and 128,000 villages that fell below the current poverty line have now been lifted out of poverty. Regional poverty has been eliminated on the whole, and the arduous task of eradicating absolute poverty has been completed, representing yet another miraculous achievement. This is a great and glorious accomplishment for the Chinese people, for the CPC, and for the Chinese nation!

在这里，我代表党中央，向受到表彰的先进个人和先进集体，表示热烈的祝贺！向为脱贫攻坚作出贡献的各级党政军机关和企事业单位，农村广大基层组织和党员、干部、群众，驻村第一书记和工作队员、志愿者，各民主党派、工商联和无党派人士，人民团体以及社会各界，致以崇高的敬意！向积极参与和支持脱贫攻坚的香港特别行政区同胞、澳门特别行政区同胞、台湾同胞以及海外侨胞，向关心和帮助中国减贫事业的各国政府、国际组织、外国友人，表示衷心的感谢！

Here, on behalf of the CPC Central Committee, I would like to extend my warm congratulations to the exemplary individuals and groups who have been honored. I would also like to offer my highest regards to all those who have contributed to the fight against poverty, including Party, government, and military bodies at all levels, enterprises and public institutions, community organizations, Party members, officials, and members of the public in rural areas, first secretaries and members of work teams stationed in villages, volunteers, other political parties, federations of industry and commerce, and public figures without party affiliation, people’s groups, and people from all sectors of society. Finally, I would like to express heartfelt gratitude to our compatriots in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the Macao Special Administrative Region, and Taiwan as well as those overseas who actively supported and participated in the fight against poverty, and to foreign governments, international organizations, and friends from all over the world who have shown concern and support for China’s poverty alleviation efforts.

同志们、朋友们！

Comrades and Friends,

贫困是人类社会的顽疾。反贫困始终是古今中外治国安邦的一件大事。一部中国史，就是一部中华民族同贫困作斗争的历史。从屈原“长太息以掩涕兮，哀民生之多艰”的感慨，到杜甫“安得广厦千万间，大庇天下寒士俱欢颜”的憧憬，再到孙中山“家给人足，四海之内无一夫不获其所”的夙愿，都反映了中华民族对摆脱贫困、丰衣足食的深深渴望。近代以后，由于封建统治的腐朽和西方列强的入侵，中国政局动荡、战乱不已、民不聊生，贫困的梦魇更为严重地困扰着中国人民。摆脱贫困，成了中国人民孜孜以求的梦想，也是实现中华民族伟大复兴中国梦的重要内容。

Poverty is a problem that has persistently plagued humanity. Throughout history, combatting this problem has remained an important issue in governance for nations around the world. The history of China is a chronicle of the Chinese people’s struggle against poverty. A deep longing to see the people free of poverty and well fed and clothed has been expressed by great historical figures, from Qu Yuan, a poet and politician of the Warring States period, who lamented, “Long did I sigh to hold back tears; saddened I am by the grief of my people,” to Du Fu, another poet of the Tang dynasty, who wrote forlornly, “If only I could build a house with millions upon millions of rooms, I would bring all the poor people of the earth under its roof and bring smiles to their faces,” to Sun Yat-sen, who yearned to see “every family living in plenty, with not a single person left behind.” After the dawn of the modern age, China suffered from political upheaval and incessant conflict due to the decadence of feudal rule and the aggression of Western powers. With no means of livelihood, the Chinese people were tormented even more severely by the nightmare of poverty. Escaping poverty thus became the dream that the Chinese people tirelessly pursued, as well as an important part of realizing the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation.

中国共产党从成立之日起，就坚持把为中国人民谋幸福、为中华民族谋复兴作为初心使命，团结带领中国人民为创造自己的美好生活进行了长期艰辛奋斗。新民主主义革命时期，党团结带领广大农民“打土豪、分田地”，实行“耕者有其田”，帮助穷苦人翻身得解放，赢得了最广大人民广泛支持和拥护，夺取了中国革命胜利，建立了新中国，为摆脱贫困创造了根本政治条件。新中国成立后，党团结带领人民完成社会主义革命，确立社会主义基本制度，推进社会主义建设，组织人民自力更生、发愤图强、重整山河，为摆脱贫困、改善人民生活打下了坚实基础。改革开放以来，党团结带领人民实施了大规模、有计划、有组织的扶贫开发，着力解放和发展社会生产力，着力保障和改善民生，取得了前所未有的伟大成就。

Since the very day of its founding, the CPC has pursued its mission of seeking happiness for the people and rejuvenation for the Chinese nation with steadfast commitment, uniting and leading the Chinese people in a long and arduous struggle to create a better life for themselves.

During the new democratic revolution, the CPC united and led the peasants in overthrowing local tyrants and dividing up the land, put into effect the policy of “land to the tiller,” and helped liberate people living in destitution, thus winning broad support from the vast majority of the people, capturing victory in the Chinese revolution, and ultimately founding the People’s Republic of China (PRC). This set the stage politically for eradicating poverty in China.

After the founding of the PRC, the CPC united and led the people in completing the socialist revolution, establishing socialism as the country’s fundamental system, and advancing the development of socialism. The CPC mobilized the people to be self-reliant and work hard in an effort to put the country in order and make it strong. This laid solid foundations for shaking off poverty and improving the lives of the people.

After the launch of reform and opening up, the CPC united and led the people in carrying out well-conceived and well-organized initiatives for development-driven poverty alleviation on a massive scale, and devoted its focus to releasing and developing productive forces and to ensuring and improving public wellbeing, securing great and unprecedented achievements in the process.

党的十八大以来，党中央鲜明提出，全面建成小康社会最艰巨最繁重的任务在农村特别是在贫困地区，没有农村的小康特别是没有贫困地区的小康，就没有全面建成小康社会；强调贫穷不是社会主义，如果贫困地区长期贫困，面貌长期得不到改变，群众生活水平长期得不到明显提高，那就没有体现我国社会主义制度的优越性，那也不是社会主义，必须时不我待抓好脱贫攻坚工作。2012年年底，党的十八大召开后不久，党中央就突出强调，“小康不小康，关键看老乡，关键在贫困的老乡能不能脱贫”，承诺“决不能落下一个贫困地区、一个贫困群众”，拉开了新时代脱贫攻坚的序幕。2013年，党中央提出精准扶贫理念，创新扶贫工作机制。2015年，党中央召开扶贫开发工作会议，提出实现脱贫攻坚目标的总体要求，实行扶持对象、项目安排、资金使用、措施到户、因村派人、脱贫成效“六个精准”，实行发展生产、易地搬迁、生态补偿、发展教育、社会保障兜底“五个一批”，发出打赢脱贫攻坚战的总攻令。2017年，党的十九大把精准脱贫作为三大攻坚战之一进行全面部署，锚定全面建成小康社会目标，聚力攻克深度贫困堡垒，决战决胜脱贫攻坚。2020年，为有力应对新冠肺炎疫情和特大洪涝灾情带来的影响，党中央要求全党全国以更大的决心、更强的力度，做好“加试题”、打好收官战，信心百倍向着脱贫攻坚的最后胜利进军。

Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the CPC Central Committee has made it clear that the most arduous tasks associated with the goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects are those in rural areas, particularly impoverished rural areas, and that this goal cannot be completed if these areas have not reached moderate prosperity. The Central Committee has also emphasized that poverty is not socialism, and that if impoverished areas had remained poor and unchanged over the long term with no noticeable improvement of living standards, then China’s socialist system would have no strengths to speak of. This, too, would be contrary to socialism, and therefore it was crucial to waste no time getting to work in the fight against poverty.

At the end of 2012, not long after the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the Central Committee highlighted that, “The yardstick for moderate prosperity lies with rural areas, and particularly whether or not those that are poor are able to exit poverty,” pledging that not a single poverty-stricken area or individual would be left behind. This kicked off the prelude to the fight against poverty in the new era.

In 2013, the Central Committee introduced the concept of targeted poverty alleviation, and created new working mechanisms for poverty alleviation.

At the Central Poverty Alleviation and Development Work Conference in 2015, overall requirements were put forward for fulfilling the objectives of the fight against poverty. The conference put standards into effect for ensuring precision in six areas, namely identifying target groups, carefully planning projects, making good use of funds, following through with measures on a household-by-household basis, assigning first secretaries in consideration of local needs, and setting clear objectives, and launched five key measures through which people would be lifted out of poverty, namely increased production, relocation, ecological compensation, education, and social assistance for basic needs, This sounded a general offensive for winning the fight against poverty.

At the 19th National Congress of the CPC in 2017, a comprehensive plan was made for targeted poverty alleviation as one of the three critical battles. Setting its sights on the goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects, the CPC focused its efforts on breaking through the last strongholds of extreme poverty and securing a decisive victory in this fight.

In 2020, the Central Committee called on the whole Party and the entire nation to work with even greater determination and intensity in order to effectively meet the additional challenges posed by Covid-19 and severe flooding while launching the closing battle of the fight against poverty, and to march with full confidence toward the final victory.

8年来，党中央把脱贫攻坚摆在治国理政的突出位置，把脱贫攻坚作为全面建成小康社会的底线任务，组织开展了声势浩大的脱贫攻坚人民战争。党和人民披荆斩棘、栉风沐雨，发扬钉钉子精神，敢于啃硬骨头，攻克了一个又一个贫中之贫、坚中之坚，脱贫攻坚取得了重大历史性成就。

Over the past eight years, the Central Committee has made the fight against poverty a top priority in national governance and a fundamental task in building a moderately prosperous society in all respects, and mobilized a mighty people’s war for this purpose. With determination, endurance, and the courage to take on tough challenges, the Party and the people have freed one stronghold after another from the grips of poverty, thus scoring great and historic success.

——农村贫困人口全部脱贫，为实现全面建成小康社会目标任务作出了关键性贡献。党的十八大以来，平均每年1000多万人脱贫，相当于一个中等国家的人口脱贫。贫困人口收入水平显著提高，全部实现“两不愁三保障”，脱贫群众不愁吃、不愁穿，义务教育、基本医疗、住房安全有保障，饮水安全也都有了保障。2000多万贫困患者得到分类救治，曾经被病魔困扰的家庭挺起了生活的脊梁。近2000万贫困群众享受低保和特困救助供养，2400多万困难和重度残疾人拿到了生活和护理补贴。110多万贫困群众当上护林员，守护绿水青山，换来了金山银山。无论是雪域高原、戈壁沙漠，还是悬崖绝壁、大石山区，脱贫攻坚的阳光照耀到了每一个角落，无数人的命运因此而改变，无数人的梦想因此而实现，无数人的幸福因此而成就！

– The entire rural poor population has been lifted out of poverty, a key contribution toward the goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects.

Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, an average of more than 10 million people have been lifted out of poverty each year, equivalent to the population of a medium-sized country. Poor people have seen their incomes grow by a significant margin, while their basic food and clothing needs have been guaranteed and their access to compulsory education, basic medical care, and safe housing and drinking water has been ensured. More than 20 million poor people with health issues have received appropriate treatment, and families that were once haunted by the specter of serious illness now have a new lease on life. Nearly 20 million impoverished people have received subsistence allowances or assistance and support for extreme poverty, and more than 24 million people with disabilities facing financial difficulties and people with severe disabilities have received living or nursing subsidies. More than 1.1 million impoverished people have become forest wardens, earning compensation for protecting the environment.

Whether on the snowy plateau, in the Gobi Desert, or among the cliffs and mountains, the light of poverty eradication has touched every corner of the country, helping countless people change their lives, realize their dreams, and find happiness.

——脱贫地区经济社会发展大踏步赶上来，整体面貌发生历史性巨变。贫困地区发展步伐显著加快，经济实力不断增强，基础设施建设突飞猛进，社会事业长足进步，行路难、吃水难、用电难、通信难、上学难、就医难等问题得到历史性解决。义务教育阶段建档立卡贫困家庭辍学学生实现动态清零。具备条件的乡镇和建制村全部通硬化路、通客车、通邮路。新改建农村公路110万公里，新增铁路里程3.5万公里。贫困地区农网供电可靠率达到99%，大电网覆盖范围内贫困村通动力电比例达到100%，贫困村通光纤和4G比例均超过98%。790万户、2568万贫困群众的危房得到改造，累计建成集中安置区3.5万个、安置住房266万套，960多万人“挪穷窝”，摆脱了闭塞和落后，搬入了新家园。许多乡亲告别溜索桥、天堑变成了通途，告别苦咸水、喝上了清洁水，告别四面漏风的泥草屋、住上了宽敞明亮的砖瓦房。千百万贫困家庭的孩子享受到更公平的教育机会，孩子们告别了天天跋山涉水上学，实现了住学校、吃食堂。28个人口较少民族全部整族脱贫，一些新中国成立后“一步跨千年”进入社会主义社会的“直过民族”，又实现了从贫穷落后到全面小康的第二次历史性跨越。所有深度贫困地区的最后堡垒被全部攻克。脱贫地区处处呈现山乡巨变、山河锦绣的时代画卷！

– Areas that have been the target of poverty alleviation efforts have caught up in great strides in terms of economic and social development, and undergone dramatic and historic changes on the whole.

In impoverished areas, the pace of development has sped up significantly, economic strength has consistently grown, and infrastructure has developed by leaps and bounds. Meanwhile, great progress has been made with social programs, and problems that have historically made it hard for people in these areas to get around, attend school, receive medical attention, access safe drinking water and electricity, and communicate with the world have finally been resolved. The phenomenon of students from registered poor families dropping out of school in the compulsory stage has also been eliminated through ongoing efforts.

Where conditions permit, all towns, townships, and villages have been connected to paved roads as well as buses and postal services. An additional 1.1 million kilometers of rural roads have been built or upgraded, and 35,000 kilometers of new rail lines have been built. Reliability of rural power grids in impoverished areas has reached 99 percent, while 100 percent of poor villages on major grids are now connected to three-phase power. Moreover, the proportion of poor villages with both fiber optics and 4G connections has surpassed 98 percent.

Unsafe housing occupied by 7.9 million households, or a total of 25.68 million poor people, has been renovated,35,000 centralized communities and 2.66 million units of housing for resettlement have been built, and more than 9.6 million people have emerged from poor, isolated, and backward places and moved into new homes.

Many country folk have bid farewell to rope crossings as the rift valleys have become thoroughfares; bid farewell to bitter and salty water as they now have clean water to drink; and bid farewell to houses built with mud and straw that were exposed to the elements as they have moved into bright and spacious new homes built with brick and tile.

Millions of children from poor families have been granted more equitable educational opportunities, and no longer have to endure daily treks to class now that they can board at school.

The 28 ethnic groups with smaller populations have been entirely lifted out of poverty. Some of these ethnic groups that skipped ahead a thousand years after the founding of the PRC by directly transitioning from primitive society to socialist society have now made a second historic leap from poverty and backwardness to all-around moderate prosperity. All of the last strongholds of poverty in deeply impoverished areas have been breached, and in the areas that have exited poverty, beauty and change can be seen everywhere one goes.

——脱贫群众精神风貌焕然一新，增添了自立自强的信心勇气。脱贫攻坚，取得了物质上的累累硕果，也取得了精神上的累累硕果。广大脱贫群众激发了奋发向上的精气神，社会主义核心价值观得到广泛传播，文明新风得到广泛弘扬，艰苦奋斗、苦干实干、用自己的双手创造幸福生活的精神在广大贫困地区蔚然成风。带领乡亲们历时7年在绝壁上凿出一条通向外界道路的重庆市巫山县竹贤乡下庄村党支部书记毛相林说：“山凿一尺宽一尺，路修一丈长一丈，就算我们这代人穷十年苦十年，也一定要让下辈人过上好日子。”身残志坚的云南省昆明市东川区乌龙镇坪子村芭蕉箐小组村民张顺东说：“我们虽然残疾了，但我们精神上不残，我们还有脑还有手，去想去做。”贫困群众的精神世界在脱贫攻坚中得到充实和升华，信心更坚、脑子更活、心气更足，发生了从内而外的深刻改变！

– People who have shaken off poverty have taken on a fresh outlook, and acquired the confidence and courage to depend on themselves.

The fight against poverty has yielded abundant results both in the material sense and the psychological sense. Those who have been lifted out of poverty have been invigorated with the drive to keep pushing forward, while core socialist values and healthy practices for a civil society have been widely promoted and spread. The desire to do hard, solid work and build a happier life with one’s own two hands has become commonplace in poverty-stricken areas.

Party Secretary Mao Xianglin of Xiazhuang Village in Wushan County, Chongqing led the locals in a seven-year effort to carve a path along the village’s precipitous cliffs to the outside world. He said, “It felt gratifying to widen and lengthen the mountain path inch by inch and foot by foot. Even if our generation has to endure poverty and hardship for another decade, we are resolved to ensure that the next generation lives a better life.”

Zhang Shundong, a disabled yet determined villager from Pingzi Village in Dongchuan District, Kunming, Yunnan Province, said, “Though we are impaired physically, we are not impaired in spirit. We still have brains to think and hands to Work.”

The mental outlook of poor people has been enriched and elevated in the fight against poverty. Now with firmer confidence, keener minds, and greater ambition, they have truly transformed inside and out.

——党群干群关系明显改善，党在农村的执政基础更加牢固。各级党组织和广大共产党员坚决响应党中央号召，以热血赴使命、以行动践诺言，在脱贫攻坚这个没有硝烟的战场上呕心沥血、建功立业。广大扶贫干部舍小家为大家，同贫困群众结对子、认亲戚，常年加班加点、任劳任怨，困难面前豁得出，关键时候顶得上，把心血和汗水洒遍千山万水、千家万户。他们爬过最高的山，走过最险的路，去过最偏远的村寨，住过最穷的人家，哪里有需要，他们就战斗在哪里。有的村干部说：“只要我还干得动，我都永远为村里的老百姓做事！带上我们村的老百姓，过上更美好的生活。”“我是一个共产党员，我必须带领群众，拔掉老百姓的穷根。”基层党组织充分发挥战斗堡垒作用，在抓党建促脱贫中得到锻造，凝聚力、战斗力不断增强，基层治理能力明显提升。贫困地区广大群众听党话、感党恩、跟党走，都说“党员带头上、我们跟着干、脱贫有盼头”，“我们爱挂国旗，因为国旗最吉祥”，“吃水不忘挖井人，脱贫不忘共产党”，党群关系、干群关系得到极大巩固和发展！

– The relationships between the Party and the public and between officials and the public have improved significantly, consolidating the foundations of the CPC’s governance in rural areas.

Heeding the call of the Central Committee, Party members and CPC organizations at all levels have spared no effort to accomplish their mission, and taken action to make good on their promises. In the fight against poverty, which has been no less of a battle despite the lack of gun smoke, they have devoted painstaking effort and made great accomplishments.

Poverty alleviation officials have worked for others at the expense of their own families, and formed bonds of friendship and cooperation with the impoverished people they have served. They have worked tirelessly and put in extra hours all year round, endured the strain and fatigue of their posts, and stepped up at crucial moments to face challenges head-on, touching countless families in areas across the country through their effort and devotion. They have made their way to the highest mountains, trekked the most perilous roads, visited the most remote villages, and stayed with the poorest families. Wherever the need was greatest is where they could be found, hard at work.

Here I would like to quote two village officials:

“As long as I am still standing, I will always work for the people of this village. I will see the people of our village live a better life.”

“As a CPC member, I must lead the people in weeding out the roots of poverty.”

Primary-level Party organizations have fully exerted their key role. In their efforts to strengthen the CPC and promote poverty eradication, they have improved themselves, becoming stronger and more cohesive and significantly enhancing their capacity for community-level governance. Members of the public in poverty-stricken areas have listened to the Party, felt its favor, and followed its lead. Here are a few quotes from them:

“With Party members taking the lead and us following suit, there is hope that poverty will be eliminated.”

“We love to hang the national flag, because there is no better symbol of good fortune.”

“Just as he who drinks the water cannot forget he who digs the well, we cannot forget the Party for helping us escape poverty.”

All this is evidence that the relationships between the Party and the public and between officials and the public have been greatly strengthened and developed.

——创造了减贫治理的中国样本，为全球减贫事业作出了重大贡献。摆脱贫困一直是困扰全球发展和治理的突出难题。改革开放以来，按照现行贫困标准计算，我国7.7亿农村贫困人口摆脱贫困；按照世界银行国际贫困标准，我国减贫人口占同期全球减贫人口70%以上。特别是在全球贫困状况依然严峻、一些国家贫富分化加剧的背景下，我国提前10年实现《联合国2030年可持续发展议程》减贫目标，赢得国际社会广泛赞誉。我们积极开展国际减贫合作，履行减贫国际责任，为发展中国家提供力所能及的帮助，做世界减贫事业的有力推动者。纵览古今、环顾全球，没有哪一个国家能在这么短的时间内实现几亿人脱贫，这个成绩属于中国，也属于世界，为推动构建人类命运共同体贡献了中国力量！

– China has set an example and made significant contributions to the cause of global poverty reduction.

Casting off poverty has always been a prominent and perplexing issue in global development and governance. Since the launch of reform and opening up in the late 1970s, China has lifted 770 million rural poor out of poverty according to current standards, and contributed to more than 70 percent of global poverty reduction during this period according to the World Bank’s international poverty line.

It should be highlighted that even with global poverty remaining severe and polarization between rich and poor increasing in certain countries, China has achieved the poverty reduction target of the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development 10 years ahead of schedule, winning wide acclaim from the international community. We have actively conducted international cooperation on poverty reduction, fulfilled our international obligations in this regard, provided other developing countries with all possible assistance, and acted as a champion for the cause of global poverty reduction.

No other country throughout history has been able to lift hundreds of millions out of poverty in such a short period of time. This achievement is China’s, but it also belongs to the world, and has contributed Chinese strength to the development of a human community with a shared future.

8年来，我先后7次主持召开中央扶贫工作座谈会，50多次调研扶贫工作，走遍14个集中连片特困地区，坚持看真贫，坚持了解真扶贫、扶真贫、脱真贫的实际情况，面对面同贫困群众聊家常、算细账，亲身感受脱贫攻坚带来的巨大变化。我在各地都看到，广大脱贫群众露出了真诚笑脸，这是对脱贫攻坚的最大肯定，是对广大党员、干部倾情付出的最高褒奖，也是对革命先辈和英烈的最好告慰。

Over the past eight years, I have presided over seven central conferences on poverty alleviation, carried out more than 50 inspection tours on poverty alleviation work, and visited 14 regions where extreme poverty is concentrated in contiguous areas. In the process, I have strived to understand the real picture of poverty, and to get a sense of how poverty alleviation measures are being carried out and providing tangible assistance to the people who really need it. I have spoken face to face with poor people about their lives down to the minute details, and felt the tremendous changes brought about by the fight against poverty first hand. In places across the country, I have seen people who have escaped poverty smiling from the heart. These smiles are the greatest affirmation of the fight against poverty, the best possible reward for the dedicated work of Party members and officials, and the ultimate tribute to the revolutionaries and martyrs that came before us.