By Tong Xinyu

BEIJING, Oct. 19 -- The National Poverty Alleviation Award Commendation Conference and Report Meeting of Advanced Deeds was held in Beijing on the morning of October 17. Ninety-nine individuals and 49 units from the forefront of poverty alleviation received awards. Among representatives from the People's Liberation Army (PLA) and the Chinese People's Armed Police Force (PAP), two members won the Individual Contribution Award and the Individual Innovation Award respectively, and one unit was conferred the Group Innovation Award.

The PLA and the PAP have made great contributions to the decisive victory in building a moderately prosperous society in all respects and eradicating poverty. Up to now, the PLA and the PAP have continued to assist in constructing 156 "August 1st Schools" and 113 county-level hospitals in poverty-stricken counties. The 4,100 poverty-stricken villages, 293,000 households, and 924,000 people they helped have been all lifted out of poverty by the end of May this year.