The Chinese government has attached great importance to poverty alleviation, with total relief funding reaching 110 billion yuan, or 13 billion US dollars.

China encourages all members of society to help relieve poverty through encouraging cooperation between east and west China as well as public and private donations, China Radio International reported Sunday.

Improving health care, education and the overall quality of life in poor areas are also part of the central government's plan, which includes Project Hope for the poor students and Project Honor which encourages economic development in poor areas of the country.

By the end of last year, China's poverty-stricken population was thought to be at 29 million, down from 250 million before the reform and opening up period started in 1978.

United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan congratulated China for its efforts to eliminate poverty and its push to attain the Millennium Development Goals.

Vice premier urges all Chinese to join in poverty-relief efforts

Chinese Vice Premier Hui Liangyu Sunday called on all citizens to participate in the country's government-led poverty-relief programs, saying the government willcontinue to guide, encourage and support both individuals and organizations to join in the poverty-relief campaign.

China will also promote cooperation with the international community, Hui said at an award ceremony for organizations and individuals who contributed to the nationwide anti-poverty drive, which was launched to mark the International Poverty Alleviation Day.

At the ceremony, the World Bank, Project Hope and other organizations and individuals received awards, the first in China.

Hui said it will take great time and effort for China to eradicate poverty, though the country has made enormous achievements over the past decades. He called China an "active member" in the international anti-poverty campaign.

China launched poverty-alleviation programs in the 1980s. Currently, the country has 29 million poverty-stricken people, or three percent of the total population -- compared with 30.7 percent, or 250 million in 1978.