Rich-Poor Divide

Posted on 13 April 2010.

China now has more billionaires than any other country except the United States, according to Forbes magazine. Twenty-seven of the ninety-seven new additions worldwide to this year's Forbes list are Chinese.

The richest man in China is Zong Qinghou, who runs a multi-billion-dollar firm that makes soft drinks.

China's economy has seen rapid growth over recent years and in February exports were reported to have grown by nearly 50% compared to a year earlier. "This is a crucial year for... accelerating the transformation of the pattern of economic development," according to Premier Wen Jiabao.

Yet at the annual session of China's parliament in March, Premier Wen also promised delegates that the country would "resolutely reverse the widening income gap". Several times he mentioned the need to make China a fairer society and claimed, "We will not only make the ‘pie' of social wealth bigger by developing the economy, but also distribute it well." (BBC)

According to Reuters, Wen's achievements can already "be measured in the abolition of hated taxes on poor farmers, rising rural incomes and the makings of a broad social welfare net." However, "Studies of wealth distribution indicate that inequalities have budged little, or even worsened."

One of Wen's new plans is to reform the household registration system, which currently means that migrant workers from the rural areas are often unable to access basic services. Wen promised the government will "gradually ensure that they [migrant workers] receive the same treatment as urban residents in areas such as pay, children's education, healthcare, housing and social security" (BBC).

Prior to the parliament meetings, more than a dozen Chinese newspapers published a joint editorial calling for the abolition of the household registration, which was introduced in the 1950s. However, these editorials were soon removed from most of the newspapers' websites and the deputy editor who wrote the editorial for the Economic Observer was fired.

Pray that the promises from this year's parliamentary session of aiming for a fairer society might prove to be more than just words. Pray that Premier Wen Jiabao might push for reforms that will distribute China's wealth more equally.

Pray for wisdom for those considering the reform of the household registration system. Pray for a smooth and effective transition to a fairer system.

Pray for migrant workers living in China's cities, but facing great difficulty in accessing education, healthcare, social security, etc. Pray that they might gain equal access to these basic services.

Pray too for the wealthy in China, that they might recognise their responsibility to use their riches for the benefit of others.