中国的贫困究竟有多么严重？

贫富差距究竟有多么残酷？

Shocking inequality in China.

Last week, China’s premier Li Keqiang shocked the nation by saying that 600 million people have a monthly income of under 1000 yuan (143 US dollars), without giving specifics. He did say, however, that that income was not enough to even pay rental in a mid-size city.

Analysts and commentators do not believe the figure. They slice it and dice it, coming up with all sorts of explanations. “Maybe the figure includes 200-300 million children? Maybe the retirees without a pension? Maybe they are mostly peasant farmers?”

I know Li did not lie, because close to one hundred of my fellow villagers including my brother’s family in Hubei Province are in that camp. Hubei is not the poorest in China. It is right in the middle of the pack.

The fact that the urbanites (even well-informed analysts) find it impossible to believe the figure shows how unequal China has become.

#economy