Officials should show more concern about the poor

The new Minister of Finance Lou Jiwei recently said the government should help the poor but not the lazy. It is true, but China's welfare system is less developed and far from fair, and it is too early to talk about the concern in China, says an article of China Business News. Excerpts:

Some welfare states in the West are often confronted with the problem caused by lazy people, who live on taxpayers' money without working even if they have the ability to contribute.

However, the minister, as a senior decision-maker to distributing national wealth, should have a broader view on the biggest challenge for China's social welfare system today. There are still big gaps between the urban and rural populations in social welfare and medical care insurance.

The financial and civil affairs authorities should first solve the fairness problems, which is the best way to help the poor.

When the overall welfare level remains low, another urgent task is to improve the welfare level for the nation as a whole.

Social welfare is an important form of public service provided by the government. This is an obligatory responsibility for the government but not the government's favor to the people.

The human-oriented development proposed by Chinese leaders complies with the Chinese tradition that people are the foundation for the nation and stable governance.

Before an equal welfare system is established, the government officials should show more concern about the poor but not blame the lazy.