Final answer:
The rural population in China, constituting over 50 percent of the population, receives less governmental budget compared to urban areas. The country has seen a significant reduction of poverty from 2002 to 2012, with the middle class expanding considerably.
Step-by-step explanation:
The rural population in China, which accounts for a significant portion of the country, typically receives a smaller percentage of the central government budget compared to the resources allocated to the more urbanized, coastal cities. Although rural areas are home to more than 50 percent of China's population, there is a substantial rural-to-urban migration largely due to the draw of core industrial cities offering more employment opportunities and better living standards as part of China's ongoing urbanization.
Historically, poverty has been pervasive in rural China, with a large segment of the population earning very low incomes and facing unemployment. However, from 2002 to 2012, China accomplished a significant reduction in poverty, with the middle class growing from seven percent to fifty-four percent. This shift represents one of the most momentous socio-economic transformations in world history, with expectations for this trend to continue.