
BEIJING, Sept. 27 -- China will further encourage industrial development and entrepreneurship in rural areas in a bid to alleviate poverty, officials said Friday.
Poverty-stricken areas will be supported to develop featured industries by tapping ecological advantages and local resources, Han Changfu, minister of agriculture and rural affairs, told a press conference.
"We will continue to focus on connecting production and sales, and turn the ecological resources of impoverished areas into brand and economic advantages," said Han.
Onsite capacity-building training for impoverished populations will be organized to cope with problems encountered in industrial development and rural startups, said Liu Yongfu, director of the State Council Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development.
"Over the past decades, absolute poverty has been basically eliminated in rural China," said Han.
By the end of 2018, the number of people living in poverty in rural areas decreased to 16.6 million from 770 million during the early stage of the reform and opening-up.
Rural residents' per capita disposable income rose to 14,617 yuan (about 2,048 U.S. dollars) by the end of 2018, 40 times the number in 1949, official data showed.
Fire brigade in Shanghai holds group wedding
Tourists enjoy ice sculptures in Datan Town, north China
Sunset scenery of Dayan Pagoda in Xi'an
Tourists have fun at scenic spot in Nanlong Town, NW China
Harbin attracts tourists by making best use of ice in winter
In pics: FIS Alpine Ski Women's World Cup Slalom
Black-necked cranes rest at reservoir in Lhunzhub County, Lhasa
China's FAST telescope will be available to foreign scientists in April
"She power" plays indispensable role in poverty alleviation
Top 10 world news events of People's Daily in 2020
Top 10 China news events of People's Daily in 2020
Top 10 media buzzwords of 2020
Year-ender:10 major tourism stories of 2020
No interference in Venezuelan issues
Biz prepares for trade spat
Broadcasting Continent
Australia wins Chinese CEOs as US loses