LHASA -- Some 150,000 rural residents in southwest China's Tibet autonomous region escaped poverty last year, according to the Tibet Poverty Alleviation Office.

"The autonomous region has invested 4 billion yuan (around $600 million) to promote industries with local features in poor areas, and relocated 77,000 poor people last year," said Lu Huadong, deputy director with the office.

Statistics showed that Tibet had around 590,000 rural poor by the end of 2015. It plans to help at least 130,000 rural people cast off poverty and relocate 163,000 residents in 2017.

"This year is a key period for Tibet's war against poverty. We will continue mapping out policies and plans in accordance with varying situations and causes of poverty and increasing funds," said Lu.

In China, there were still 43 million people in rural areas living in poverty at the end of 2016. The country aims to help all of them out of poverty by 2020.