China makes notable achievements in poverty alleviation, brings better lives to its people

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By Liu Ning, Liu Jieyan, Ebulayi, Zhong Wenxing, Liu Dong (People's Daily Online) 14:19, November 11, 2022

“We have achieved moderate prosperity, the millennia-old dream of the Chinese nation, through persistent hard work," Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, said in a report he delivered to the 20th National Congress of the CPC.

“We have won the largest battle against poverty in human history. A total of 832 impoverished counties and close to 100 million poor rural residents have been lifted out of poverty, and, among them, more than 9.6 million poverty-stricken people have been relocated from inhospitable areas. We have, once and for all, resolved the problem of absolute poverty in China, making significant contributions to the cause of global poverty reduction,” Xi said.

Xi has always been concerned about people in need. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, he has visited almost all the most poverty-stricken areas in China, including those deep in the Taihang Mountains in Fuping county, north China's Hebei Province, those in Dingxi city, northwest China's Gansu Province, Liangjiahe village in northwest China's Shaanxi Province, and those deep in Daliangshan Mountain in southwest China's Sichuan Province.

In Hebei, Xi stressed that a locality's development relies on industry and the labor force. Development can only be achieved when external and internal forces are combined. In southwest China's Chongqing, he said poverty alleviation must take both quantity and quality into account. In Gansu, he said efforts should be made to ensure that relocated residents can settle down, find jobs, earn money and lead better lives.

Over the past decade, all poverty-stricken villages in China have shaken off poverty. Now, these villages enjoy improving ecology, renovated houses, better transport infrastructure, and thriving industries. With the consolidation and expansion of achievements in poverty alleviation, people who were lifted out of poverty now live better lives.

"Life is much better than before"

Liangjiahe used to be a barren village on the loess plateau in Wen'anyi township, Yanchuan county, Yan'an city, Shaanxi. Today, when people visit the village, they are greeted by lush mountains and neat houses near an asphalt road.

Aerial photo taken on July 21, 2022 shows a view of Liangjiahe village, Wen'anyi township, Yanchuan county, Yan'an city, northwest China's Shaanxi Province. (People's Daily Online/Liu Ning)

Xi lived and worked in Liangjiahe village for seven years as an "educated youth”. His first landlord was Liu Jinlian, who is now 72 years old. Her old cave maintains its original appearance, but great changes have taken place in her life. "Now, we have adequate food and clothing, and life is much better than before," Liu said.

Xi has always kept the village in mind, especially the lives of the people there.

Xi Jinping visits people in Liangjiahe village, Wen'anyi township, Yanchuan county, Yan'an city, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, on Feb. 13, 2015. (Xinhua/Lan Hongguang)

On Feb. 13, 2015, just before the Spring Festival, Xi visited people in Liangjiahe village, including Liu, bringing goods that he had bought for them.

When chatting with villagers, Xi was particularly concerned with their lives, including their food, clothing and housing conditions.

"He asked me about drinking water and life. He was so caring, which made me feel good," Liu recalled.

Over the past years, Xi's care and instructions have always made residents in the village feel cared for. "After Xi visited our village, villagers were inspired to make their lives better," Liu said.

Industry is of fundamental importance to increasing people's incomes and China's rural vitalization. In 2015, Liangjiahe village established a collectively-owned rural culture and tourism company to promote poverty alleviation through the development of rural tourism.

Liu, like many other villagers, became an employee of the company, receiving a monthly salary. In addition, she runs a shop where she sells local specialties, including shoe pads, dates, and coarse cereals. "I earned up to 10,000 yuan (about $1,368) in my best year," Liu said.

Thanks to the development of rural tourism, some villagers run agritainment facilities, while others find jobs near home, for example, as shuttle bus drivers. According to statistics, Liangjiahe village has received 6.57 million tourists since 2015, generating a tourism revenue of 120 million yuan.

The loess plateau is blessed with good land conditions, large differences between day and night temperatures, and abundant sunlight and heat, providing the ideal climate to grow apple trees.