Chinese representative at UN Human Rights Council urges US to focus on addressing poverty

　　China News Agency, Geneva, June 27th. The Chinese representative spoke at the 50th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in a dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty on the 27th, expounding his views on social security issues, pointing out that the new crown pneumonia epidemic has highlighted the long-standing problems in the United States. Poverty problem, urge the United States to pay attention to solving it.

　　The representative of China said that social security is of great significance to safeguarding and improving people's livelihood, maintaining social equity and enhancing people's well-being.

China has built a moderately prosperous society in an all-round way, solved the problem of absolute poverty historically, and significantly improved the living standards of the people lifted out of poverty.

　　In addition, China has built the world's largest social security system, including pensions, medical security, and social assistance, covering both urban and rural residents. By the end of 2021, the number of social security card holders nationwide will reach 1.352 billion.

China has established and improved the minimum living security system, and strengthened social assistance for the extremely poor and low-income families, so as to ensure their basic livelihood and enable the people to share the fruits of reform and development.

　　The representative of China pointed out that the new crown pneumonia epidemic has highlighted the long-standing problems of poverty and inequality in Western countries such as the United States.

There is systemic inequality in the US social security system. Nearly 30 million people do not have any form of medical insurance, and many people give up treatment because of high medical costs.

The gap between the rich and the poor in the United States is huge, with more than 40 million people living in poverty, but the US government has no political will to solve the poverty problem.

　　The representative of China urged the United States to attach importance to solving the poverty problem and earnestly protect the poor people's rights to subsistence, development and equal access to social security.

(Finish)