China's economy is firmly in the fast lane - and poised to become the world's second largest this year. But millions of rural residents still live under the poverty line. Sylvia Gunawan has more on government efforts to improve the lot of those who haven't yet benefited from China's boom times.

China's government has pledged to boost rural development in an effort to bridge the economic gap between rich and poor. It says it will continue to enhance financial support for farmers and improve agricultural subsidy systems. However, currently, there are an estimated 40 million farmers in China living on less than $1 a day - the official UN poverty line. The central government says budget priority should be given to infrastructure in rural areas, and programs aimed at improving rural residents' livelihood.