Chongqing - China has made a monumental accomplishment by lifting over 800 million people out of poverty in just 40 years, contributing to more than 70% of global poverty reduction efforts, data shows up to 2022. Two compelling examples from Chongqing showcase the country's remarkable journey towards eradicating poverty and rural revitalization.
The man-made "heaven road" brought returns
Descending a steep mountain road, one can see a picturesque village that resembles an idyllic paradise. Clean and well-kept roads wind through this village, adorned with exquisitely decorated houses, dense street lighting, and modern-looking storefronts. This is Xiazhuang, a shining star among China's recent success stories in poverty alleviation.
Xiazhaung is a picturesque village that resembles an idyllic paradise. (Photo/Kenny Dong)
Xiazhuang was once a destitute village nestled in the heart of a massive karst landscape valley, cut off from the outside world due to challenging terrain. In China's rapid economic development, Xiazhuang's per capita income remained consistently below the national poverty line.
Under the leadership of Mao Xianglin, Secretary of the Xiazhuang Village Party Branch, the people of Xiazhuang embarked on a daring endeavor in 1997 to construct an eight-kilometer mountainous upward road connecting their village to the outside world. Over eight years of construction, six individuals tragically lost their lives during the process.
However, this road brought substantial returns to Xiazhuang. Improved transportation facilitated thriving agricultural trade and the prosperity of the citrus industry. Supported by national poverty alleviation and rural revitalization policies, funds poured in from external sources, injecting critical momentum into the village's industrial development.
The Xiazhuang people in Wushan built the mountainous road. (Photo/Kenny Dong)
By 2022, Xiazhuang's per capita income had reached 20,000 yuan, a staggering 66-fold increase from the 300 yuan before the road construction.
According to Mao, Xiazhuang has successfully lifted itself out of poverty, with an increasing number of young locals choosing to stay and contribute to its further development, particularly in tourism and cultural industries.
"After serving as the village secretary for over 40 years, my goal was never about personal gain but about the welfare of the entire village. Seeing the village prosper, I feel a deep pride," Mao remarked.
Navel oranges are tailored to meet market demand
A Bridging News reporter finds vast groves of orange trees at the Ouying Village in Fengjie County, along the riverbanks and into the hills.
According to the Agricultural and Rural Affairs Commission of Fengjie County, navel oranges are the leading economic crop in Fengjie County, contributing 4.05 billion yuan to the local economy, accounting for approximately one-tenth of the county's GDP.
The large-scale cultivation of navel oranges results from scientific agricultural management to local conditions. Ouying Village is situated near a creek, with its low-lying terrain and unobstructed sunlight, making it an ideal location for navel orange cultivation.
Liu Fangling, director of the Agricultural and Rural Affairs Commission of Fengjie, pointed out that Fengjie's navel oranges are now being exported to markets in Vietnam through the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor (ILSTC). In the current year alone, 1,280 tons have already been exported.
Ouying Village is filled with navel orange trees. (Photo/Kenny Dong)
Villages like Ouying exemplify China's rural revitalization strategy known as "One Village, One Product." This approach designates villages as basic units and leverages local resource advantages to develop dominant products and industries tailored to domestic and international market demands.
The strength of this strategy lies in harnessing the advantages of China's grassroots systems, pooling collective village efforts to excel in at least one product, and, in turn, leading villagers to prosperity.
Apart from navel oranges, Fengjie's second pillar industry is ecological animal husbandry, including an annual output value of 1.736 billion yuan from pig farming, 216 million yuan from beef cattle, 181 million yuan from goats, and 240 million yuan from rabbit farming.
According to Liu, Fengjie promotes rabbit farming, which has seen rapid growth as a single product. The choice to promote the farming rabbit is because factory-style farming allows for the maximum protection of the ecological environment, which is crucial to sustainable agriculture.
In 2022, Ouying Village achieved a per capita GDP of 17,800 yuan, significantly surpassing the national level.