China's Stories in Ending Poverty

Editor's note:

Approximately 10 million people escaped from poverty every year over the last decade in China – an average of one person every three seconds. This special coverage features stories about the poverty relief efforts that have been made in the country and people improving their lives. They are selected from China Poverty Alleviation magazine and other sources and cover education, healthcare, the environment, tourism, consumption, rural revitalization and related subjects.

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Energy-oriented poverty reduction illuminates the road to prosperityEnergy-oriented poverty reduction illuminates the road to prosperity

Receiving an average of 3,033 to 3,317 of sunlight hours each year, the solar panels that are mounted to Xinbao village, Guazhou county, Jiuquan city, Gansu province, resident Sun Yonghong’s roof yield approximately 3,000 yuan (US$464) of annual income in addition to the electricity that they generate.
Business booms as villages cultivate characteristic agricultural products in Dingtao district, ShandongBusiness booms as villages cultivate characteristic agricultural products in Dingtao district, Shandong

An important transportation hub since ancient times, Dingtao district, Heze city, Shandong province, has been modernizing and gaining new vitality in recent years, including in its villages where characteristic agricultural pursuits have helped impoverished residents escape from poverty and increase their incomes.
Prosperous sports tourism journey embarked in Mashan countyProsperous sports tourism journey embarked in Mashan county

Located in a remote mountainous area, Mashan county in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, which used to be impoverished and being backward, has enjoyed a successful transformation in recent years.
Remote village on Yunnan-Myanmar border achieves greater prosperity by engaging in sericulture industryRemote village on Yunnan-Myanmar border achieves greater prosperity by engaging in sericulture industry

Sixty-nine of the 236 people who live in the village were impoverished before they became engaged in the endeavor, or 21 of its 52 households.
E-commerce empowers women in Ningxia and helps them transform their livesE-commerce empowers women in Ningxia and helps them transform their lives

In 2019, the Minning Hemei e-commerce poverty reduction workshop came online in Minning’s Yuanlong village, and the company prioritized local women who were left-behind or impoverished when it began recruiting staff. Forty-nine women were hired in total, 42 of whom were poverty-stricken.
Counties encompassing major rivers' headwaters emerge from poverty in Qinghai provinceCounties encompassing major rivers' headwaters emerge from poverty in Qinghai province

Spanning the northern section of the Qinghai-Tibet plateau, Qinghai province is home to the headwaters of the Yangtze, Yellow, and Lancang rivers but was also significantly poverty-stricken until early last year.

Background

China has eliminated extreme poverty and secured a "complete victory" in its fight against poverty. Over the past eight years, the final 98.99 million impoverished rural residents living under the current poverty line have all been lifted out of poverty. All 832 impoverished counties and 128,000 villages have also been removed from the poverty list.Combined with poverty-reduction results since the late 1970s, China is responsible for over 70 percent of the global reduction in poverty over the period. The country has met the poverty eradication target set out in the SDGs 10 years ahead of schedule.

Editor's note:

Energy-oriented poverty reduction illuminates the road to prosperityEnergy-oriented poverty reduction illuminates the road to prosperity

Business booms as villages cultivate characteristic agricultural products in Dingtao district, ShandongBusiness booms as villages cultivate characteristic agricultural products in Dingtao district, Shandong

Prosperous sports tourism journey embarked in Mashan countyProsperous sports tourism journey embarked in Mashan county

Remote village on Yunnan-Myanmar border achieves greater prosperity by engaging in sericulture industryRemote village on Yunnan-Myanmar border achieves greater prosperity by engaging in sericulture industry

E-commerce empowers women in Ningxia and helps them transform their livesE-commerce empowers women in Ningxia and helps them transform their lives

Counties encompassing major rivers' headwaters emerge from poverty in Qinghai provinceCounties encompassing major rivers' headwaters emerge from poverty in Qinghai province