During the 13th Five Year Plan period (2016-20), Hechi has made great achievements in its poverty alleviation efforts.

From 2016 to 2020, more than 15 billion yuan ($2.26 billion) of funds have been invested to help lift impoverished people out of poverty in Hechi. A total of 1,015 basic education projects have been implemented, all impoverished people have participated in the basic medical insurance program, more than 75,000 dilapidated houses in rural areas have been renovated, and 28,300 drinking water safety projects have been conducted, solving the drinking water safety problem of 276,000 people.

An aerial view of highways in Dahua Yao autonomous county, Hechi. [Photo by Wei Zhe/Guangxi Daily]

Hechi's transportation facilities have been comprehensively improved. At present, five expressways have been completed, while eight other expressways are under construction. The city has newly built 4,157 village roads, provided bus service to all villages, solved the electricity problem of 24,000 households, as well as installed broadband and 4G networks to all villages.

A total of 249,800 registered impoverished laborers have been employed, and the per capita disposable income of rural residents has increased from 5,193 yuan in 2012 to 10,141 yuan, an average annual increase of 10.3 percent.

Poverty alleviation industries like walnut planting, camellia plantation, beef and sheep breeding, as well as fruit planting, sugar cane planting, mulberry gardens, chestnut planting, and freshwater ecological farming have accelerated their development.

A resettlement site in Bama Yao autonomous county, Hechi. [Photo/Guangxi Daily]

A total of 11.59 billion yuan has been invested to build 121 resettlement sites and 176,200 impoverished people have been relocated to new communities, accounting for 25 percent of Guangxi’s total.

Guangdong-Guangxi poverty alleviation cooperation has also been deepened. Hechi received a total of 1.48 billion yuan in poverty alleviation cooperation funds from Guangdong province and Shenzhen. A total of 597 aid projects have been implemented, directly benefiting more than 290,000 impoverished people.

From 2016 to 2019, 702,200 impoverished people, 625 impoverished villages, and seven impoverished counties have been lifted out of poverty. The incidence of poverty in Hechi has dropped from 20.16 percent to 1.86 percent.

A tea garden in Huanjiang Maonan autonomous county, Hechi. [Photo by Meng Weirong/Guangxi Daily]