The extreme poverty rate in China - the number of people living on less than $1.25 a day - has dropped from 60 percent in 1990 to 16 percent in 2005 and 12 percent in 2010, the report says.

"The fact that China - as a big and important country - has met some of the targets has had an enormous impact on the global ability to meet the targets, particularly in the area of poverty," said Stefan E. Schweinfest, acting director of statistics at the UN's Department of Economic and Social Affairs.

The eight goals have a series of sub-targets covering a range of issues from poverty, hunger, and health to gender equality, education and environmental indicators. China has met - or almost met - most of the eight targets, including reducing levels of childhood under-nourishment to 3.6 percent in 2010, and child mortality rates to 15 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2011, according the report.

"Without China," said Schweinfest, "the whole group of developing countries wouldn't have made as much progress over the last 13 years."

China's 12th Five-Year Plan (2011-15) effectively addresses development issues, including a push to reduce poverty by half.

China's rapid economic growth in recent years - with increases in gross domestic product (GDP) averaging 10 percent a year - has lifted more than 600 million people out of poverty since the 1980s. In 2012 alone, China's economic boom helped lift 23 million people out of poverty, in part due to urbanization. The proportion of people in rural areas with access to safe sanitation nearly quadrupled between 1990 and 2011, from 15 to 56 percent.

Schweinfest noted that China's growth has enabled the country to play the role of international donor, which has had a noticeable effect in helping others reach their development goals.

"China has supported international development and has helped narrow the gap between the North and South by becoming an important donor country," said Schweinfest.

The report finds that Chinese women have improved access to reproductive health services, and maternal mortality has dropped to an estimated rate of 37 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2010.

Despite the progress overall, the 2013 report also finds challenges remain in some regions.

Poverty is still widespread in sub-Saharan Africa and Southern Asia, although progress in the latter region has been substantial, with poverty rates falling by an average of one percentage point annually - from 51 percent in 1990 to 30 percent two decades later. By contrast, the poverty rate in sub-Saharan Africa fell only eight percentage points in the same 20-year period.

"Sub-Saharan Africa definitely needs our continuous attention even though it has made tremendous progress," Schweinfest said.

"It needs bolder action, for sure; it is not completely out of reach, but it definitely needs additional effort over the coming two years to get there," he added.

Between now and the 2015 deadline, UN member states will discuss the post-2015 process and set up a new agenda to achieve renewed MDGs, most likely with a 2030 target date, Schweinfest said.

yuweizhang@chinadailyusa.com

(China Daily USA 07/02/2013 page2)