700 million Chinese lifted from poverty in 30 years

By Fuat Kabakci

BEIJING

More than 700 million Chinese people have been lifted out of poverty in the last 30 years, with literacy rates and life expectancy also flourishing.

State news agency Xinhua reported that a white paper issued Thursday showed that the figure accounted for more than 70 percent of the global reduction in poverty.

According to the paper, the average life expectancy in 2015 of the nation of 1.385 billion people was 76.34 years -- up from 35 years in 1949.

The paper, titled "The Right to Development: China's Philosophy, Practice and Contribution", said that the level of education had also soared.

In 1949, more than 80 percent of the national population was considered illiterate, with only 20 percent of school-age children enrolling in schools.

By 2015, net enrolment had shot up to 99.88 percent, with 87 percent attending senior high school.