Since the founding of the People’s Republic of China 75 years ago, the living standards of the Chinese people have improved from simple subsistence to moderate prosperity in all areas.
China’s per capita disposable income was only 49.7 yuan ($7.1) in 1949, but soared to 39,218 yuan in 2023, an increase of 75.8 times, or an annual growth rate. 6%, adjusted for inflation, according to a report published by the State Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
Remarkable changes have been made since China launched the policy of reform and opening-up in 1978. The private economy has developed rapidly and the national economy has experienced strong growth.
Before the reform and opening up, people’s consumption level was relatively low and household expenditure was mainly on food, clothing and daily necessities, but today people spend more on durable goods such as automobiles and household appliances.
These changes are reflected in the Engel coefficient, which measures the share of food expenditure in total household expenditure. The index was 29.8% in 2023, a drop of 34.1 percentage points from 63.9% in 1978.
For example, for household appliances, the average number of refrigerators per 100 households reached 103.4 by the end of 2023, compared to just 0.2 in 1981. The number of color televisions per 100 households rose to 107, 8 at the end of 2023, up from 0.6 in 1981. The number of washing machines per 100 households was 98.2 at the end of 2023, up from 6.3 in 1981.
When the People’s Republic of China was founded, housing conditions were relatively poor. After the reform and opening up, the housing system has shifted from social housing allocation to commercialization, and the housing shortage for urban and rural residents has gradually eased. Living conditions have become more comfortable and more spacious.
The floor area of housing per capita increased 4.8 times in 2020 compared to 1978, reaching 38.6 square meters for urban residents and 46.8 square meters for rural residents, the NES report said, citing the results of the seventh national census.
Chinese people enjoy longer life expectancy, which reached 78.6 years on average in 2023, an increase of 43.6 years compared to the early years of the People’s Republic of China.
By the end of 2023, 99.8% of urban neighborhoods had access to highways, an increase of 0.6 percentage points from 2013, and 99.9% of rural neighborhoods had access to satellite television signals. cable, an increase of 10.7 percentage points compared to 2013.
The drinking water supply, which has benefited from centralized purification treatment, covered 98.2% of urban districts in 2023, an increase of 6.9 percentage points compared to 2013, and 88.2% villages, an increase of 42.6 percentage points compared to 2013.
Medical and educational services have also improved. In 2023, 96.1% of villages had medical service stations, an increase of 14.5 percentage points compared to 2013. At the same time, 92.4% of villages had kindergartens or preschool classes, an increase of 16.7 percentage points compared to 2013.
With the gradual progress of urbanization, the consumption power of urban residents has improved, the supply of basic commodities has become more and more abundant, and the urban consumption market has maintained rapid growth.
Retail sales of consumer goods in urban areas recorded an average annual growth rate of 12.1% between 1953 and 2023. The share of retail sales of consumer goods in urban areas in relation to total sales retail increased from 45.4% in 1952 to 86.4% in 2023.
In the development process, China has achieved victories in the continuous fight against poverty. In 2020, 98.99 million people in rural areas across the country were lifted out of poverty, and all 832 poor districts were officially recognized as having moved out of poverty.
