Night has already fallen in the town of Beishan, but the lights are still on in a nearby sewing workshop. More than 30 employees are busy working on their sewing machines. They are making protective clothing for medical personnel on the front lines of the fight against the COVID-19 epidemic. Located in northwest China's Qinghai Province, this workshop is no ordinary factory: it is part of an initiative to provide jobs for impoverished people who were relocated from some of the most disadvantaged areas of their province.

According to Fan Chengdong, Secretary of the Beishan Town Committee of the Communist Party of China, after the outbreak of the COVID-19 epidemic, the local government called on local workers to help solve the severe shortage of protective clothing in China. In less than 10 days, 148 emergency protective suits were produced.

According to China's National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), of the 10 million registered rural poor living in harsh environment with poor employment opportunities, planned to be relocated during the period of the 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-20), around 9.3 million have so far been moved to areas with better conditions. And among them, 9.2 million have managed to lift themselves out of poverty following the relocation. The people of Beishan Town are among them. As of today, almost all of the relocation goals for the most disadvantaged villagers for the 13th Five-Year Plan period have been met.

Pragmatic planning

In November 2013, during an inspection tour of central China's Hunan Province, Chinese President Xi Jinping first put forward the concept of "targeted poverty reduction." Subsequently, Xi repeatedly explained in more detail what he meant by this concept. At the 2015 High Level Forum on Poverty Reduction and Development, held in Beijing, Xi specified five targeted and differentiated measures to ensure effectiveness in the targeted fight against poverty, including the resettlement of people living in the impoverished areas to richer, better developed regions.

According to the 13th Five-Year Plan for Poverty Alleviation Relocation, published on September 22, 2016 by the NDRC, nearly 10 million people struggling with poverty were to be resettled to enable them to get out of poverty. Most of these people live in areas where living conditions are extremely difficult, with poor basic infrastructure and public services such as education and health care, construction projects are difficult and expensive, and natural disasters are common.

While respecting the wish of the local inhabitants, the government has mainly adopted a centralized resettlement method, with dispersed resettlement as an additional approach. Most people have been moved to neighboring villages, where traffic conditions are better, or to new villages specially designed and built for them.

From acceptance to appreciation

Although the resettlement work was well planned and organized in an orderly manner, its practical implementation initially encountered a number of obstacles. Many villagers were used to the environment in which they had lived for generations, despite the fact that they had to struggle with difficult conditions. Many of them wondered if they would be able to adapt to their new life and new environment.

"I could not get used to living in my new house at first, and I often wanted to go back to my home village," said Li Minxing. With the help of the resettlement policy, Li and his family left their village of Zuowodi, a poor rural community located in Nayong County in southwest China's Guizhou Province. They were relocated to a new community in the same county.

Day after day, Li realized that he was enjoying his new life here more and more. Elders and children from his village no longer have to walk a long and dangerous mountain path to go and see a doctor or attend classes at school. Li can also watch TV and use an indoor toilet. "Life has become easier and more comfortable, and I am going to enjoy spending my golden years here," he said.

Many people in Guizhou have had a similar experience as Li Minxing. According to Shen Yiqin, Guizhou Governor, her province is the one that relocated the greatest number of people in China, for a total of 1.88 million people to be relocated during the 13th Five-Year Plan period.

A new house, a new life

Resettlement is an effective way to accomplish the goals of permanently lifting the poor out of poverty.

Yeyuhai is a touristic site known in China for its natural beauty and the unique culture of the Yi ethnic people who live there. Located in Shuicheng County of Liupanshui City in the western part of Guizhou Province, Yeyuhai was chosen as a site for the resettlement of poor families. In total, 1,006 families with 4,123 people from 29 surrounding villages have been resettled there, including Gao Shuxiang.

After arriving in Yeyuhai, Gao Shuxiang and her family not only moved into a beautiful and clean new house, but they also obtained employment with stable income.

"Before, we grew corn and potatoes for a living and a year of hard work was barely enough to feed us all. Today, my husband, my son and I all work in the touristic area, and we earn more than 40,000 yuan ($5,638) a year. I also bought a share in a small store from which I can get a monthly income," she said.

According to Li Chunxiang, a staff member at the Office of the Yeyuhai Tourist Area Management Committee, in addition to the medical clinics, kindergartens, elementary schools, supermarkets and other public service facilities, a number of employment training courses are organized to help newcomers take part in local development and permanently integrate into the life here.

According to the 13th Five-Year Plan for Poverty Alleviation Relocation, the Chinese Government will also strive to develop agriculture, livestock, modern services and other industries according to the actual situation in the host regions, so that the resettled people can earn a living independently and escape poverty permanently.

The year 2020 is crucial for China to win its fight against poverty. On March 6, 2020, Chinese President Xi Jinping urged the Party committees and governments at all levels to promote the fight against poverty with more determination and intensity, to overcome the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic with the aim to secure a complete victory in the fight against poverty, and to accomplish this great cause which is of great importance both to the Chinese nation and the whole world.

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