Awards scheme may honor those reducing global poverty

China may set up awards to honor individuals and non-governmental organizations for their efforts in helping reduce global poverty, a government think tank official said.

The country's ultimate award for poverty reduction, the China Poverty Eradication Award, could include honors to people or bodies helping reduce global poverty, said Kang Xiaoguang, director of the NGO Research Center with Renmin University of China.

Kang, who is also executive chairman of the judging panel, said one category, the global award, will continue to be awarded to international organizations this year.

"With more individuals and NGOs from China taking part in poverty reduction, we may adjust the rules in the future," he said on Thursday.

Nominations for this year’s award will close on September 20, and voting will be completed by early October, according to Liu Wenkui, secretary general of the China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation, the main organizer of the award.

Kang said the nomination process and all candidates will be made public during the selection process and all juries will only be made public after voting is complete.