China's Yunnan, Xinjiang cast off absolute poverty
CGTN

Southwest China's Yunnan Province and northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region have bidden farewell to absolute poverty as the country has vowed to eradicate absolute poverty by 2020.  

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Yunnan with largest remaining poor population eliminates absolute poverty 

Yunnan Province, which had the country's largest remaining poor population at the end of last year, has eradicated absolute poverty, officials said on Saturday. 

The last nine counties in the province were delisted from the poverty-stricken county list, which meant all its 88 poverty-stricken counties have shaken off poverty, said Huang Yunbo, director of the provincial poverty alleviation office. 

It also marks that the 11 ethnic minority groups with relatively smaller populations in the province have bid farewell to poverty. 

Xinjiang shakes off absolute poverty 

In a historic feat, Xinjiang has also bid farewell to absolute poverty. 

The last 10 impoverished counties in Xinjiang have managed to end absolute poverty, the regional government announced Saturday. 

The 10 counties, including Shache County, Moyu County and Akto County, are no longer impoverished counties by official standards, the local government said in an online statement. 

All the 10 counties are in southern Xinjiang, where the country's largest desert is located. Local people used to have limited access to stable income and public services due to the harsh natural environment and poor infrastructure. 

(With input from Xinhua)

(Cover: Li Wenshi, a 75-year-old woman of Dulong ethnic group, weaves a blanket in Dulongjiang Township in Gongshan Dulong and Nu Autonomous County, southwest China's Yunnan Province, April 21, 2019. /Xinhua)