Tian'e county in the city of Hechi, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region has experienced great changes after 70 years of economic and social development since the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949.

The county's GDP in 1950 was only 1.3 million yuan ($183,071), but exceeded 10 million yuan in 1969 and 100 million yuan in 1992. Its GDP grew at an average annual rate of 32.5 percent from 2001 to 2008.

Tian'e has been developing its four pillar industries of forestry and fruit growing, animal husbandry and aquaculture, resource-based industry, as well as ecological tourism.

By the end of 2018, the county's GDP reached 7.14 billion yuan, 5,495 times that of 1950. The per capita disposable income of urban residents hit 25,611 yuan, while that of rural residents was 8,878 yuan, 286.4 times of that of the 31 yuan in 1952.

Relocated households give housewarming performances in Tian'e county, Hechi, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region. The relocation is one of the government's measures to help poor people in the county escape poverty. [Photo by Wang Mingfu/Hechi Daily]

The county's city and infrastructure construction has also achieved fruitful results.

To date, the county's urban area has been expanded to 38.7 square kilometers, with its urban population increasing to 38,300. In 2018, its urbanization rate rose to 38.35 percent, while the green coverage rate stood at 35.61 percent and its per capita public green area reached 9.55 square meters.

In 1949, the highway mileage in Tian'e totaled 440 km.

With the Longtan Hydropower Station, the largest hydropower station in Guangxi, which is located in the upper stream of the Hongshui River in Tian'e, coming into service in 2009, infrastructure in the county, such as highways, power grids, communications, and water conservancy projects, has rapidly improved.

By the end of 2018, the total length of grade highways in the county was 1,141.35 km, and all the administrative villages could be reached by cement or asphalt roads. Expressways, such as the Tian'e section of the Leye-Baise Expressway, are also under construction.

An aerial view of rural roads in Tian'e county. [Photo by Wang Mingfu/Hechi Daily]

Tian'e's key poverty alleviation work started in 1980. At the beginning of the 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-20), there were still 45 poverty-stricken villages in the county, with 6,771 poor households and 28,063 impoverished people.

To date, 27 villages, as well as 5,717 households and 24,164 villagers have been lifted out of poverty. The incidence of poverty dropped from 16.52 percent to 2.71 percent.

In April this year, approved by the People's Government of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Tian'e county was officially removed from the list of poverty-stricken counties.

A girl from Tian'e county picks plums. [Photo by Wang Mingfu/Hechi Daily]