China's poverty line is higher than the World Bank's 2015 benchmark of 1.9 U.S. dollars per person per day, a spokesperson for the annual session of China's national legislature said on Thursday.
Zhang Yesui, spokesperson for the fourth session of the 13th National People's Congress, made the remarks at a press conference.
Zhang said the poverty relief work has been carried out in accordance with a comprehensive, multi-dimensional standard that consists of not only the per capita income but also a series of requirements and criteria.
To lift the rural population out of poverty, one of the criteria is that they don't have to worry about food or clothing, and have access to compulsory education, basic medical services, and safe housing, he said.
"Meeting these needs requires a large amount of fiscal input, which has raised the living standard of the poor population to a large extent," he added.
