Microcredit in China

Microcredit programmes in China are just starting out - the nation has not yet eased its top-down control over banks.

China is starting to experiment with microcredit, which has transformed the lives of millions of peasants across the globe, notably in Bangladesh.

But the nation's leaders still see poverty alleviation as a top-down affair.

The government is slashing agricultural taxes and tuition fees for the children of farmers. But microcredit is lagging behind.

Eve Johnson reports.