From 2011 to 2014, Guizhou has already managed to lift 5.29 million people out of poverty. (Photo : www.factsaboutchinaus.blogspot.com)
Thanks to the development of big data technology and e-commerce in the region, Guizhou Province might be able to lift the lives of its impoverished citizens within five years, according to a report by China Daily.
Provincial officials are currently finalizing the local five-year plan that aims to lift approximately 1.3 billion people out of poverty.
According to Liu Yuankun, Guizhou Province's vice governor, big data and big poverty alleviation will be two crucial strategies that can lead to their success.
"This means we will make full use of big data technology to reduce poverty," said Liu in an interview with China Daily.
How will the province achieve this?
Through big data technology, an electronic platform called the "poverty alleviate cloud" has been created. It regularly pools and updates information about locals living below poverty line, allowing officials to zone in on the kind of subsidies and poverty alleviation project they need.
"By following the data stored in the 'poverty alleviation cloud,' we are able to deliver more precise and targeted help to those in poverty," said Liu.
From 2011 to 2014, Guizhou has already managed to lift 5.29 million people out of poverty.
If successful, Guizhou Province's five-year plan will lift over 3 million out of 6.23 million people living below poverty line out of poverty by 2017 and completely get rid of poverty by 2020.
"The Chinese Internet has helped Chinese people overcome poverty and I think this is a great success," said Chris Nebe, CEO of Monarex Hollywood. He is currently filming a documentary about Guizhou.
From a global standpoint, China is the first developing country to reduce the population living in poverty ahead of the deadline stipulated by the Millennium Development Goals. The country has also successfully lifted about 700 million rural residents in China from poverty in a span of three decades.
