51.The Chinese governments strategy for the reduction of poverty has focused principally on administrative units designated as poor，with the objective being to raise average incomes in these areas above a set level，and hence to eliminate poverty.In addition to this regionally targeted program，a range of other policies and programs exist，including general systems of social assistance and insurance which aim to address wider problems of poverty and insecurity in both urban and rural areas.While the main focus of discussion in this report is on the regional strategy，it is important to recognize the role of other programs and institutions in alleviating poverty and insecurity，particularly among regions and population groups not included within the scope of the regional program.These are discussed briefly below（Section D）.

52.The Chinese Government's commitment to poverty eradication has been demonstrated through the activities and budget allocations provided，particularly under the National 8-7 poverty reduction plan，adopted in 1994，the Great Western Development Strategy，adopted in 2000，and the Ten-Year Plan for Poverty Alleviation and Development of China's Rural Areas（2001-2010），adopted in 2001.Considerable resources have been devoted by the central government to the anti-poverty effort，reaching Y24.8 billion in 2000，and additional funds have been provided by local governments.Official sources report that the policies implemented enjoyed considerable success，reducing the number of absolute poor in the designated poor counties that were the targets of anti-poverty policy from 59 million in 1994 to 17 million in 2000.1278234There has，however，been little independent monitoring and evaluation of the program which is essential in order to understand more clearly the impact of the interventions on different population groups，the cost-effectiveness of the programs，the precise mechanisms through which poverty reduction is achieved，and whether those moving out of poverty are doing so in a permanent and sustainable way.

53.Several key conferences on poverty and poverty reduction policies were convened in the past few years，including a national Poverty Reduction conference in June 1999 and an International Conference on China's Poverty Reduction Strategies in the Early 21^st Century in May 2000，under the joint auspices of the Chinese government，UNDP，World Bank and Asian Development Bank.UNDP，the World Bank，and others have provided assessments of China's poverty reduction strategy and suggestions for improving it.In response to the various evaluations that took place，and in recognition of the constantly changing nature and dimensions of the poverty problem and of the changing circumstances in which it occurs，the government drew up a new ten-year plan for rural poverty reduction called the Outline for Poverty Alleviation and Development of China's Rural Areas（2001-2010）.1278235Salient elements of this plan include a new emphasis on agriculture and farm production，a commitment to improving living and production conditions in poor areas，dedication to harnessing science and technology on behalf of the goal of poverty reduction，a stepped up emphasis on education and training of poor people，and the facilitation of out-migration and voluntary resettlement from severely ecologically disadvantaged areas.

54.The government also initiated a new strategy to promote economic development and poverty reduction in the western regions.This "Great Western Development Strategy" was adopted by the State Council in February 2000.It applies to all of the provinces1278236considered to be located in the west of China：Xinjiang，Tibet，Sichuan，Chongqing，Yunnan，Ningxia，Qinghai，Shaanxi，Guizhou，as well as the relatively poor provinces of Inner Mongolia and Guangxi，even though these latter two are located in the central region according to the tripartite division of the country into east，center and west.The regions included constitute over two-thirds of the total territory of China.To lead the effort of developing strategies and coordinating development programs，a Leading Group for Western Region Development was established，chaired by the Premier.An executive body，the Western Region Development Office，chaired by the State Development Planning Commissioner，was also established.This program has led to a large increase in infrastructural investment in the western regions.

55.In this section we highlight some limitations in China's current strategy for poverty reduction.A central argument presented here is that the separation of the government's poverty reduction policies from overall economic policy inevitably reduces the effectiveness of the poverty reduction strategy.A second concern is that the conceptualization of poverty is limited principally to a focus on income-based measures，and neglects other dimensions of human poverty.Third，the unit of aggregation -the county -obscures significant variations among communities and households while also increasing the leakage of benefits away from the poor.