Poverty Alleviation Benefits All

Development-driven Poverty Relief

“The absence of a mature industry through which to help poor inhabitants out of poverty is a serious problem in Shangluo, which we must address,” Zhang Yongping said. He went on to observe that the market economy breeds fierce competition that inevitably gives rise to disadvantaged groups. As poor rural households can only grow products on farmland, they cannot compete in the market, which is why they become mired in hopeless poverty.

Sixty-six-year-old Fang Zhengmin’s family is one of the most impoverished households in the village. He earns a living from selling junk and planting corn. As each kilo of corn fetches RMB 1.2, Fang earns no more than a few thousand yuan each year. Last year, his wife fell ill with myocarditis. Her medical fees amounted to RMB 40,000, which leaves the family nigh-on destitute.

“Thankfully the New Rural Cooperative Medical Care System takes care of RMB 16,000 of our medical expenses,” Fang Zhengmin said. He added that his family also receives a subsistence allowance from the government.

Fang Zhengmin has no specific work skills, and is too old for manual work. Taking into account his wife’s chronic illness, their two sons are the sole hope of this poor family. Having taught himself how to mend and maintain electrical appliances, Fang’s elder son earns around RMB 2,000 a month. With help from the government, his younger son has entered the BYD automobile industrial park in Shangluo, and also earns around RMB 2,000 a month.

BYD Company Limited was built in the Shangdan Circular Industrial and Economic Park in 2009. It deals in solar batteries and solar power stations, automobile components and parts, and the research and development and production and sales of battery components. As the first provincial circular industrial park, BYD aims to nurture five major industrial clusters – new materials, new energy, biopharmacy, organic food, and modern services. There are now 78 enterprises in the park, two of which are among the World Top 500, and six of which are among the China Top 500.

The sight of workers in white uniforms busy on production lines greets the eye on entering the brand-new BYD factory. Next to it are dormitories and economically-priced apartments for newlyweds.

Zhang Yongping explained that poverty alleviation depends entirely on the green, harmonious and sustainable development of the local economy. Therefore, the Shangluo government gives precedence to development of the new energy and circular economy.

As one of Shangluo’s four new energy programs, the BYD battery industrial park plans to invest RMB 1.5 billion during the 13th Five-Year Plan period. Others in the park include the Yuedi electric bus production line, a Sino-German automotive industry, and a new-energy vehicle project.

The building of the Circular Industrial and Economic Park is part of the local government’s sustainable development strategy. BYD Company Limited of Shangluo, with an investment of RMB 370 million, has promoted industrial transformation and upgrading and development of the local economy, and created employment opportunities for local people.