I agree with you that Chinese rural poverty is probably improving faster, but I'm not sure that rural poverty has been "steadily getting worse" in the US as you claim. This [1] page with data from the census bureau make it look like rural poverty goes in waves, with the recent local maximum in 2013 about half of the initial 1959 measurement.
But this is all confounded by definitions. China defines poverty to be an income of $2.30 per day, which corresponds to purchasing power parity of less than $9 per day in the US [2].
I wasn't exaggerating about emaciation: bones were visible.
But this is all confounded by definitions. China defines poverty to be an income of $2.30 per day, which corresponds to purchasing power parity of less than $9 per day in the US [2].
I wasn't exaggerating about emaciation: bones were visible.
[1] https://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/rural-economy-population/rur...
[2] https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/PA.NUS.PPP?locations=CN