China's anti-poverty campaign began decades ago but picked up the pace in 2015 when President Xi made an ambitious pledge to end absolute poverty-measured in 2011 as equal to an annual income of 2,300 yuan in 2011-by 2020.The timer was set to ensure China became a"moderately prosperous society",a founding mission for the ruling party by 2021 when it celebrates its centenary(百年纪念).