A special group of officials in the Nujiang Lisu Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Yunnan province, have chosen to live in villages in a bid to persuade the poverty-stricken population to be relocated outside the mountains, a national policy that is aimed at lifting people out of poverty.

Zhu Peirong (right) persuades He Poyi (center) to move out of the mountains. (People’s Daily/Ye Chuanzeng)

"The villagers have lived in the mountains for generations and they won't just change their mind overnight," said Zhu Peirong, one of the officials involved in the relocation work.

To help the locals better understand the relocation policy, Zhu and 11 other officials lived in a remote village in the Nujiang Lisu Autonomous Prefecture for over 50 days starting on Feb. 20.

These officials, who are familiar with the village work and the local language, often talk with the villagers patiently about the relocation plan, and even work with the locals on their farms to strengthen their bonds with them.

"The government has prepared a house with three bedrooms and furniture for your family for free at the resettlement site," Zhu said to He Poyi, one of the villagers who had reservations about moving.

The government will also provide a public welfare job with a monthly income of about 1,500 yuan, Zhu added. Attracted by the benefits offered by the resettlement site, including factories for the poor, schools and job opportunities, He finally decided to move to the town.

As of April 15, a total of 1,006 officials like Zhu from the special team had held over 4,000 discussions with locals in the Nujiang Lisu Autonomous Prefecture, relocating a total of 13,588 poverty-stricken people from 3,335 households.