China has reached a major milestone in ending absolute poverty. But the Communist Party isn't celebrating yet

Chinese President Xi Jinping reached a major milestone this week in his five-year long fight to end absolute poverty across the country -- but it doesn't appear that he's celebrating yet. China was for decades one of the world's most impoverished countries and ending absolute poverty has been an important policy goal for Xi. The Chinese leader pledged to meet his target by the end of 2020, and establish a "moderately prosperous society" ahead of the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese Communist Party in July next year.

The Chinese government defines absolute poverty as surviving on less than 2,300 yuan ($350) per year. Over the past 40 years, China has moved from a primarily agrarian economy into one of the world's most rapidly urbanizing countries. The rush to the cities has left rural communities with shrinking populations and fewer job opportunities. In the face of this decline, Xi's poverty alleviation policies have focused on the countryside. As part of this policy, Beijing has worked to end absolute poverty in 832 "impoverished" counties across China since at least 2014.

On Monday, state-run news agency Xinhua announced the last nine counties had been removed from the list, all of them located in southwestern Guizhou province, officially leaving no county in a state of absolute poverty countrywide.

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