The purpose of this chapter is to understand the structure of rural poverty in China. On the basis of CHIP data for 1988, 1995, 2002, 2007, and 2013, the authors analyze poverty trends and the structure of poverty, comparing the recent period to earlier periods. Factors that raise household income, factors that reduce the need for household expenditures, and other factors related to China’s poverty alleviation goals are considered. The analysis finds that although the absolute poverty rate continued to decline, the poverty gap and relative poverty increased after 2007. An analysis of the reasons for poverty reveals some positive effects of the rural social welfare policies; however, health problems among the elderly, among children below the age of 15, and among disabled adults continued to be a key source of poverty.
Income, health, and social welfare policies