A Pioneering Path to Poverty Alleviation
Poverty continues to be a major problem in many parts of the world. China’s poverty eradication experience demonstrates that developing countries can end poverty through perseverance and sustained efforts, noted Irina Bokova, former director general of UNESCO. Bokova made the remarks in a speech delivered at the 2025 International Forum on Poverty Governance and Global Development, co-hosted by the Yunnan provincial government, the China Public Relations Association, and China International Communications Group (CICG).
Themed “Together Promote Rural Revitalisation and Common Development,” the forum was held four years after China declared the elimination of absolute poverty in 2020. “Eradicating poverty marks modernisation, yet 1.1 billion people globally remain in extreme poverty. China is eager to share our experiences and learn from other countries’ valuable approaches to poverty reduction and rural development, fostering mutual progress,” said CICG President Du Zhanyuan.
“If China can achieve this, other developing countries can too. This is the message that China’s battle against poverty conveys to the world,” Bokova said.
China’s accomplishments in poverty alleviation have garnered significant attention and praise from the international community. Nujiang Lisu Autonomous Prefecture in Yunnan Province stands out as a prime example of this success. A visit to the area is undoubtedly inspiring.
A daunting task
Located on Yunnan’s border with Myanmar, Nujiang Prefecture is known for its ethnic diversity and ecological richness. It is home to dozens of ethnic groups, including the Derung and Lisu, who have lived here for generations.
Despite being endowed with rich natural and cultural resources, the area had long suffered from extreme poverty. The remote region once had a poverty rate of 56 percent – among the nation’s worst – underscoring how difficult it was to lift the region out of poverty.
Then came the change. Over a decade ago, China’s targeted poverty alleviation strategy reached the mountains, bringing unprecedented investment and infrastructure. By the end of 2020, the prefecture had eradicated absolute poverty, and around 270,000 residents in the prefecture escaped extreme poverty. A region is characterised as free from poverty if the per-capita annual net income of its rural residents is above the national poverty line, which was approximately 4,000 yuan ($550) in 2020.
How did Nujiang’s people manage to do it? Let’s look at their multiple approaches to shaking off poverty.
Commercialisation of agriculture
In many villages of Nujiang, tsaoko, a ginger-like spice, has become a vital cash crop due to the canyon’s ideal altitude, soil, and humidity for its cultivation.
With a planting history of 50 years in Nujiang, tsaoko has been nurtured as a pillar industry in the region’s efforts to combat poverty and promote rural revitalisation. However, tsaoko farmers have faced several challenges, including short storage life, difficulties in transportation, and declining prices, which have become bottlenecks in the development of the tsaoko industry in Nujiang.
To overcome these challenges, the region has attracted companies such as Yunnan Baiyao Group and Shanghai Minlong Industrial to promote the growth of the tsaoko industry. Additionally, efforts are being made to accelerate research and transformation for the comprehensive utilisation of the entire tsaoko plant, turning stems, leaves, and fruit stalks into valuable resources and enhancing the added value of tsaoko.
Currently, the total area dedicated to tsaoko cultivation in the prefecture has reached 1.1 million mu (about 73,333 hectares), making it China’s leading producer of tsaoko. As of 2024, the area has achieved an annual production of 72,000 tonnes of this valuable spice. The thriving industry now generates an additional 3,400 yuan ($470) in annual income for each of the 165,300 local farmers involved.
Today, when you enter the green spice industrial park in Nujiang, you can find a variety of products made from tsaoko, including perfume, facial masks, beer, vinegar, and laundry detergent.
According to Hu Xiaojie, deputy mayor of Lushui City, as of now, seven tsaoko enterprises in Nujiang have developed a total of 92 products, with 27 already on the market. The comprehensive output value of the entire industry chain has reached 2.29 billion yuan ($320 million).
Moving to a new home
Poverty and mountainous terrain have long been intertwined in Nujiang Lisu Autonomous Prefecture. In the region, many communities were dispersed across steep mountain slopes, severely hindering transport and access to essential public services like education and health care. Furthermore, Nujiang is a vital ecological zone with a fragile ecosystem. Historically, survival often necessitated over-cultivation and deforestation by local residents, leading to further environmental degradation. In the past, many villagers lived without electricity or roads, relying on zip lines for transport. To break this cycle, Nujiang launched a landmark relocation programme in December 2019. Hexie Relocation Community in Lushui City exemplifies this transformation.
Home to 2,500 households from 30 villages and eight ethnic groups, the settlement offers apartments, schools, clinics, and community centres.
“We used to live in a shabby house on the mountains,” Gao Amei, a relocated villager, told ChinAfrica. “Now, life is stable, and my children attend school nearby.” Each poor household received a free apartment, with many resettled just miles from their former homes.
Crucially, the programme prioritises sustainable livelihood. Partnerships with businesses within resettlement areas in the prefecture include a baseball stitching facility and garment factories. At the baseball workshop in Hexie Community, women like Ma Chunfeng earn 2.5 yuan ($0.35) per hand-stitched ball, completing 20 per day. “This job shields us from harsh weather, and my income supports the family,” Ma told ChinAfrica.
According to local government data, since 2019, Nujiang Prefecture has enabled 102,000 impoverished residents to move from remote mountains to urban settlements - the largest such initiative in China. Nearly 1,000 relocated residents work in 17 workshops, earning an average monthly income of 2,300 yuan ($318), under a model called “live upstairs, work downstairs.” By the end of 2024, over 91 percent of relocated people had secured employment, marking a significant transition from agricultural subsistence to industrial work and improved livelihoods.
Empowered by technology
In Nujiang, digital technology is rapidly accelerating upgrades of local production methods, injecting momentum into socio-economic development and enhancing the quality of life for residents. At the forum, Yin Dahai, vice president of iFLYTEK, a Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) giant, shared how AI is driving rural revitalisation in Nujiang through advancements in education and health care.
Four months ago, a middle-aged man visited a township health centre in Lanping County in Nujiang Prefecture with persistent abdominal pain. Initially diagnosed with acute gastroenteritis, the doctor entered his symptoms into iFLYTEK’s Smart Doctor AI diagnostic support system. The platform suggested a high probability of acute appendicitis.
“Following the system’s suggestion, the doctor conducted further questioning, physical examinations, and subsequent tests, which ultimately confirmed the diagnosis of acute appendicitis,” Yin said. “While appendicitis is common, acute appendicitis, if perforated, can lead to diffuse peritonitis, a potentially life-threatening condition.”
This case highlights the importance of the Smart Doctor primary health care strengthening project, which Nujiang Prefecture launched in collaboration with iFLYTEK in 2021. The system is now operational across all 33 township health centres and 81 village clinics in the prefecture.
To date, the AI assistant has supported local primary care doctors in providing over 3.77 million diagnostic services. It has also helped to standardise 800,000 electronic medical records and prompted corrections or further investigation in over 4,000 cases similar to the appendicitis example.
“Through AI, iFLYTEK aims to bring diagnostic capabilities comparable to those in major cities to remote areas,” Yin said.
Besides health care, iFLYTEK is also applying its AI expertise to education in Nujiang. The company supports rural revitalisation through its language platform and employs intelligent grading systems to reduce teachers’ workload. In 2021, iFLYTEK donated Smart Classroom equipment to Lushui Minzu Middle School to foster more efficient teaching practices.
In the school, AI-powered resources assist teachers with lesson preparation, assessment, and grading. Crucially, AI analyses pupil performance in examinations, generating individualised reports that pinpoint areas where students may require further support, and offering tailored learning suggestions.
