China’s centrally administered state-owned enterprises (SOEs) have contributed significantly to the country’s battle against poverty by diversifying poverty alleviation models through the development of industries, education, and green development.

By March, 219, or around 90 percent of the 246 counties designated for poverty alleviation by the central SOEs had either been lifted out of poverty or were undergoing checks, and over 90 percent of the central SOEs were rated as “great” or “good” in the assessment of poverty alleviation work last year, according to the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission (SASAC) of the State Council.

China General Nuclear Power Corporation (CGN) has invested 25 million yuan in poverty alleviation through education over the past 10 plus years, launching a program to help poor ethnic minority students in Lingyun county, south China’s Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region. In 2017, 650 students received assistance from the program, which was later adopted in other parts of the country, including Liangshan Yi autonomous prefecture in southwest China’s Sichuan province.

China Railway Group Limited donated 87 million yuan to build three kindergartens at poverty-relief relocation sites in Huize county in southwest China’s Yunnan province. Construction started in November 2019, and the project will allow 2,500 preschool children to receive an education near their homes. The fund will also be used to build, renovate, or expand 43 regular senior high schools in the province, which will improve their conditions, and contribute to progress in the province’s poverty alleviation efforts through education.

Central SOEs have also placed an emphasis on vocational training to help impoverished people master a skill that enables them to find a job and shake off poverty. Poly Group has introduced a new targeted poverty alleviation model through training and employment, providing a training program for impoverished populations and covering almost all their training fees and offering them internships and employment. So far, the company has launched three batches of such training programs for 193 impoverished people from six counties designated for poverty alleviation in China’s four provincial regions.

In terms of poverty alleviation through developing local industries, ChemChina has rolled out various measures to boost the cultivation of Chinese wolfberries in Gulang county, northwest China’s Ningxia Hui autonomous region. Thanks to these efforts, which include establishing processing workshops, providing irrigation facilities from Israel, and expanding sales channels, over 10,000 people near the county have found long-term jobs, increasing their annual income by more than 5,000 yuan.

In addition, many central SOEs have also developed clean and renewable energy in poor areas to help boost poverty alleviation through sustainable development.

Using its industrial and technology advantages, Dongfang Electric Corporation invested 18 million yuan to bring the photovoltaic power generation industry to Liangshan’s Zhaojue, a county rich in solar energy resources. Once completed, 5,097 impoverished households from 71 villages in the county’s 23 towns will benefit from the project.

The State Power Investment Corporation Limited has also introduced a targeted poverty alleviation model through green power generation. It has invested 8.8 billion yuan in the cause, benefiting over 310,000 impoverished people, and directly helping 126,900 poor people get rid of poverty.

The central SOEs will continue to help impoverished areas and contribute more to the country’s goal of winning the fight against poverty, said Hao Peng, chief of SASAC, in a recent video conference.