An international conference on poverty reduction and child development was held in Beijing earlier this week. The meeting discussed ways to provide aid to children in poverty-stricken areas. Experts at the conference said that there are still about 40 million children living in poverty-stricken areas in central and western China. And, many of them are suffering from problems such as malnutrition and a lack of proper education.

A survey by the Chinese Nutrition Society last year found that, throughout the country, the malnutrition rate among children under the age of 6, is over 8 percent. And, over 11 percent of these children are battling with anemia. However, the rate for children in rural areas is two to three times that of their cousins in the cities.

Last year, the mortality rate of children under the age of five in China was about eleven per one thousand live births. But the rate in rural areas was more than double of that in urban areas. Experts say many of the deaths were due to malnutrition.

Aside from physical problems, poor nutrition also impacts children's academic development. Research led by the China Development Research Fund found that the development level of a 5-year-old child in Xundian county in southwestern Yunnan, is equivalent to the level of a 3-year-old child growing up in Shanghai.