Hechi continues rural vitalization efforts

Hechi, formerly a poverty-stricken area in Southwest China's karst area, is striving to consolidate the achievements of poverty alleviation and promote rural vitalization.

The oil tea area in Hechi has reached 1.85 million mu (123,333 hectares), the second most in Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, while the scale of sericulture production has ranked first in the country for 19 consecutive years, the amount of beef and mutton farming and the number of slaughtered livestock rank first in the region, and the area of freshwater aquaculture also ranks first in the region.

With the opening of the Guiyang-Nanning High-Speed Railway, Hechi is promoting rural tourism as a powerful engine for rural vitalization. During the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day holiday this year, Hechi received 3.5 million tourists, an increase of 82.8 percent compared to the same period last year, while tourism consumption reached 2.6 billion yuan ($356 million), an increase of 116.39 percent year on year.

Nandan county's Yaowang Tianxia Scenic Spot is a project for the relocation and poverty alleviation of Duonu community. Over 20 villages and communities in the Baiku Yao gathering area are participating in tourism development, allowing over 2,000 locals to find employment. During the holiday, the scenic spot received 28,000 visitors, generating revenue of 2.9 million yuan.

An aerial view of Nandan county's Yaowang Tianxia Scenic Spot. [Photo/Hechi Daily]

Liulanlie town, located in the resettlement area west of Huanjiang Maonan autonomous county, is home to 8,300 people who have relocated from deep mountains. During the recent holiday, the town received over 10,000 visitors per day.

Du'an Yao autonomous county, formerly a deeply-impoverished county in China, has been exploring courtyard economy projects after eliminating poverty. In places such as Disu and Laren town, 13,000 households have been developing products in their courtyards such as weaving products, black fungus, chickens, and ducks, with an average annual income increase of 15,000 yuan per household.

In Disu town, people use their own courtyards to develop the rattan weaving industry. [Photo/Hechi Daily]