Xiangxi marches ahead on road to prosperity

As the birthplace of China's targeted poverty alleviation strategy, the Xiangxi Tujia and Miao autonomous prefecture in Central China's Hunan province is transforming its poverty reduction successes into a comprehensive rural vitalization model, ensuring that people of all ethnic groups share the journey toward common prosperity, according to Liu Tao, Communist Party of China secretary of the autonomous prefecture and a deputy to the 14th National People's Congress.

"President Xi emphasized that in advancing Chinese modernization and achieving common prosperity, not a single ethnic group should be left behind," Liu said, highlighting the prefecture's commitment to consolidating poverty alleviation achievements while advancing rural vitalization.

"Xiangxi used the five-year transition period to effectively link the consolidation and expansion of poverty-alleviation achievements with rural vitalization," Liu said ahead of the NPC session last week.

Xiangxi is home to about 2.9 million permanent residents, with ethnic minority groups — primarily Tujia and Miao — accounting for 80.5 percent of the population.

In 2013, during an inspection tour of Hunan province, President Xi Jinping first put forward the concept of "targeted poverty alleviation" in Shibadong village in Xiangxi.

By 2020, Xiangxi had passed the national poverty alleviation assessment, removing all 1,110 impoverished villages from the poverty list and lifting 656,000 people out of poverty. Last year, the region's GDP reached 88.95 billion yuan ($12.94 billion), more than doubling its 2013 figure.

Since achieving a comprehensive victory in poverty alleviation, Xiangxi has maintained its poverty relief policies and assistance mechanisms to ensure continued support for formerly impoverished households.

To provide targeted support, more than 12,000 Party members and officials from the prefecture's government have maintained one-to-one partnerships with previously impoverished families, while more than 3,470 officials remain stationed in villages.

The government has implemented strategies tailored to the conditions of each village, household and individual to prevent large-scale relapse into poverty, Liu said. A monitoring network combining household applications, local official assessments and government department screenings has been established to identify potential relapse risks.

"Every monitored household receives an average of five targeted assistance measures," Liu said.

Among the rural vitalization initiatives, large export-oriented tea plantations and eco-friendly tea gardens have been developed, providing stable income for more than 600,000 people. The prefecture has also leveraged its natural landscapes and ethnic culture to develop rural tourism, creating tourism-related job opportunities for more than 500,000 residents.

Deng Chao, a prefectural official stationed in Shibadong village, recalled the initial challenges of communicating and building trust with villagers.

"For the first four months, we visited every household, accompanied by village officials who understood the Miao language," Deng said.

Home to the Miao ethnic group, Shibadong village is known for its scenic landscapes, traditional wooden dwellings and ethnic culture, making it a popular tourist destination.

Over the past years, the cultural and tourism industry has brought significant benefits to villagers, Deng said.

Last year, the village's collective economic dividend reached 1 million yuan, while villagers' per capita income exceeded 30,000 yuan, he said.

Long Dewei, a Shibadong villager, said his family of eight has directly benefited from government support.

"We used to live in a wooden house — when it rained outside, it rained inside," Long said, standing in his renovated home that was funded by a housing subsidy. "Now everyone has their own room, and the children no longer have to sleep together."

Rather than allowing isolated prosperity in a few villages, Xiangxi has developed a coordinated regional approach by establishing 10 rural vitalization clusters.

Coordinated planning ensures balanced development across neighboring communities, Liu said.

Xiangxi's rural vitalization strategy also emphasizes cultural enrichment, Liu said, with the prefecture regularly organizing public cultural activities.

In Jishou city, the prefecture's capital, a grand Spring Festival gathering was held on Feb 19, featuring performances rooted in Xiangxi's ethnic culture.

Shi Xiaomei, a 31-year-old Miao woman who performed with a Miao drum and song troupe in the parade, described the atmosphere as particularly memorable.

"Seeing our ethnic culture displayed on such an occasion made me feel especially proud," Shi said.

Contact the writers at limuyun@chinadaily.com.cn