China National Petroleum Corp, the nation's largest oil and gas producer by domestic annual output, has pledged to continue to invest in poverty-stricken regions to help lift people out of poverty.
The company has invested 890 million yuan ($128 million) in 850 poverty relief projects in 16 regions across seven provinces and regions nationwide since 1994, including Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region and Southwest China's Tibet autonomous region.
CNPC has taken advantage of its nationwide gas station network to boost sales of agricultural and ancillary products from poverty-stricken regions, according to Wang Yilin, chairman of CNPC.
He made the comments during the centrally administered State-owned enterprises poverty alleviation forum held in Beijing on Oct 17, marking China's fifth Poverty Alleviation Day.
At the end of last year, China had 30.46 million people in rural areas categorized as living below the poverty line, according to official data. SOEs have been mobilized to help poverty-stricken villages lift locals out of poverty, as part of the government's promise to eradicate poverty nationwide by 2020.
According to the State Council Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development, another 85 counties have been officially taken off the country's list of impoverished areas, marking further steps toward its goal of eradicating poverty by 2020, the largest number of counties to shake off poverty since China vowed in 2015 to win the tough battle against poverty.
CNPC's nationwide gas station network has been the best sales channel to promote local products from poverty-stricken regions, according to Wang.
For years, the company has helped promote local specialties and products, including dried fruits from Xinjiang, kudzu beverages from Jiangxi province and alcohol from Guizhou province, setting up a special industry while raising brand reputation, generating tax revenue and employment, he said.
The company's efforts have helped Guizhou province to expand sales channels for its various products. The province is famous for baijiu, the fiery spirit distilled from fermented sorghum and wheat with a history of over 5,000 years.
CNPC's initiatives resulted in sales of more than 40 million yuan worth of Xi Jiu, a local baijiu brand with a rich distilling tradition.
To ensure higher future sales, CNPC has also launched six e-commerce training lectures for local residents, helping them to gain access to e-commerce giants such as Alibaba Group Holding Ltd and JD, so that agricultural and other ancillary products are made available to more customers through the online marketplace.
According to Wang, boosting local tourism is another targeted strategy to lift people out of poverty.
The company has invested 50 million yuan in the past three years to set up tourism projects in Taiqian and Fanxian counties in Henan province and Xishui county of Guizhou, developing boutique guesthouses and establishing guesthouse management companies, he said.
