Asthebarchartshows,thenumberofpeoplebelowthepovertylinedecreaseddramaticallyduringtheyearsof1978to1997.Asearlyas1978,about250millionpeoplewereunderthepovertyline.Thensevenyearslater,thenumberbecamethreefifthsthatof1978.Andarrivingintheyear1997,thenumberwasreducedto50millions.
Severalfactorscontributetothesharpdecreaseofthebelow-povertypopulation.Thereformandopeningfollowing1978enabledthepeasantstobecomemuchbetteroff.AndwiththedevelopmentofChineseeconomy,thatpolicyalsoimprovedcitydwellerslivesgreatly.Furthermore,thehigh-techintroducedmadeitpossibleforthecountryseconomyasawholetotakeoff.AlltheseresultinthegreatfalloftheChinesepopulationbelowthepovertyline.
However,afurtherdecreaseinthenumberofpoverty-strickenpeopleisfacedwithsomeproblems.Withquitefewemployeesbeinglaidoff,theeffectofwhichisnotonlydiscouraging,butalsochallenging.Somyprincipleistopaydueattentiontothenewcomers,butnotjusttocareforthepoor,say,inremotemountainareas.