Editor's Note:
China Rural Revitalization magazine has published a series of articles on the rapid development of rural areas in China with new transformations. TheMK sports Korea articles reflect the arduous efforts of rural revitalization across China, which is an important and genuine solution to China's rural economic development. In the future, articles selected from this series will be published.When Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Zhaojiawa, a hillside village in Kelan county under the jurisdiction of Xinzhou, North China's Shanxi Province on June 21, 2017, abject poverty still plagued the region at that time. 

The aerial view of relocated Songjiagou village Photo: Courtesy of China Rural Revitalization magazine

"The CPC Central Committee can lead the people to unite to shake off poverty and become comfortable," Xi told the villagers and called on them to "roll up your sleeves and work harder, together with the CPC Central Committee."

Seven years later, the region has been largely lifted out of poverty through the combined efforts of officials and local residents. Tree planting, green-energy transmission and tourism development raised local incomes, constituting a vivid example of China's fulfillment of its commitment of fighting the war on poverty. 

Visible progress

Zhaojiawa, 12 kilometers away from the county town of Kelan, was a poor place with steep slopes, deep ravines, isolated transportation, and a harsh ecological environment.

In the wake of President Xi's visit and following arrangements of Xinzhou city and the Shanxi provincial governments, Kelan county initiated a relocation campaign covering 117 villages struggling with extreme poverty, including Zhaojiawa.

In September 2017, the relocation of Zhaojiawa village was completed. The land that once could not support the people of the village is now becoming increasingly productive, benefitting the local community. 

The whole village has reclaimed and afforested a total of 1,473 mu (98.2 hectares) of land, leading to an average increase of 3,000 yuan ($413.47) in income per relocated household. A total of 1,243 mu of barren mountains have been replanted with various trees, leading to an annual income of over 10,000 yuan for eight nearby households. 

In addition, the photovoltaic power station of Zhaojiawa now generates about 80,000 yuan in income for the village each year. 

Villagers from Songjiagou perform for a traditional folklore event. Photo: Courtesy of China Rural Revitalization magazine

Precision is a key word in Xi's war on poverty, taking the right measures, at the right time, in the right way, according to the situation.

In 2017, another poverty-stricken village in the Songjiagou area commenced large-scale acquisition and demolition of 17,000 square meters of vacant residential land, transforming the village into a tourist attraction built on sharing traditional culture. 

In recent years, Songjiagou has received over 500,000 tourist visits. A tourism cooperative was established in 2021, and the local tourism industry has added 6,000 yuan of annual income for 26 cooperative members. 

Songjiagou has also developed and expanded its local agriculture, livestock farming, sea buckthorn processing industry, and forestry economies, maximizing the inclusion of the local villagers in the industrial chain to increase incomes and achieve prosperity. 

Through policy support measures such as transferring labor for external employment, locally absorbing laborers, and developing public job positions, the working population and their incomes have now fully stabilized. This has resulted in a 100 percent employment coverage rate for families with labor capacity in the industries.

Vigorous spirits

The Liu Fuyou family, one of the impoverished households that President Xi visited in 2017, now has moved from the village to a modern residential community within Kelan county town.

"When we moved in, the homes were fully equipped with renovations and furniture," Liu said. 

Cui Junxia, 30, moved with her family to the Kelan county town in 2017. At that time, Cui and her husband were working away from home, and returned to Kelan for her child's education. 

With the improvement of local livelihoods since 2017, she does not need to work outside, but gets employed at the village so she can take care of her child and household, while earning a monthly salary of over 2,000 yuan. 

Cui's husband and father-in-law both drive trucks for transportation businesses, while her mother-in-law runs a restaurant. They also have a piece of land, and the entire family earns about 180,000 yuan a year.

A villager from Songjiagou (in red) severs tourists with local special cuisine. Photo: Courtesy of China Rural Revitalization magazine

President Xi emphasized that as long as we pay great attention, think correctly, take effective measures and work in a down-to-earth way, abject poverty is absolutely conquerable. 

Aside from local residents, local government officials had also made great contributions in local poverty reduction and village relocation.

Chen Fuqing was appointed the secretary of Zhaojiawa Party branch in 2016. He said that after President Xi's visit, the village work team quickly made response on relocation, went deep into the homes of villagers, conducted research, and explained the relocation policies in detail to the villagers.

Community worker Gao Junli recalled that at the very beginning, many residents were talking to them through security doors because they couldn't understand the relocation policy and tried to avoid communication. Through long-term visits to local households, mutual trust was built via community workers' unremitting efforts, and finally the relocation was done. 

President Xi announced on July 1, 2021 that China has realized its first centennial goal - building a moderately prosperous society in all respects. The achievement marks a key milestone for the world's most populous country on its journey toward national rejuvenation.

The progress that Zhaojiawa and Songjiagou have made offered a vivid example of China's efforts to fight against poverty, as well as valuable experience to the world in poverty reduction.