Continuing our series of articles related to the ‘Path to Modernisation: Takeaways from China’s Theory and Practice of Poverty Alleviation’ conference which took place in Yinchuan, Ningxia, in July 2026, David Peat, Secretary of Friends of Socialist China Britain Committee, recounts his experiences in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, including local site visits, attending the conference, meeting local leaders, and highlighting how all of China’s regions worked together (in ‘paired assistance’ programmes) to achieve the goal of abolishing absolute poverty, and tying together the many ethnic minorities, varying geographical regions, and different levels of development in the Chinese nation.
David’s first article can be read here.
Our delegation continued overland, crossing the border from Gansu to Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, China’s smallest autonomous region or province, and one equally known for its rugged terrain and (up until recently) persistent poverty. Even in this area, however, high-speed rail can be found and we enjoyed a journey taking in the changing landscapes. As its name also denotes, the region is an area with a relatively large ethnic minority population (38% Hui Muslim, with 62% Han) and as such it is one of China’s five designated ‘autonomous regions’, which have the ability to exercise certain additional rights, relative to standard Chinese provinces. China’s territory and population is enormous and extremely diverse, and, as will be seen below, its success has been due to a combination of finding solutions that work for local conditions, as well as cooperation between regions.
The delegation’s first stop in Ningxia was Minning Town, a flagship poverty alleviation project and moreover a case study of the ‘paired assistance’ model, which sees more developed regions of the country pairing with less developed ones in order to support their journey to achieve better living conditions for their residents. This particular partnership, which has been in place for 30 years, is revealed in the town’s name ‘Minning’, which is built out of the old name ‘Min’ for today’s Fujian, a relatively wealthy coastal province in China’s southeast, and ‘Ning’ from Ningxia. The story of the partnership, and Minning’s overall journey, is vividly portrayed in a popular Chinese television drama Minning Town, and the entire series is available to watch for free with English subtitles on YouTube.
This model was put forward by Chinese President Xi Jinping, who was then Deputy Party Secretary of Fujian Province. In 1997 he visited a site where the new town would be built (and would be populated by villagers who would relocate from their older, unsuitable residencies.) The paired assistance model involves the sharing of resources, expertise, funding and investment, and personnel, between the two regions. Those with technical knowhow were able to come from Fujian to improve the capacities of the rural residents, and alternately, those from Ningxia were able to share agricultural expertise with those in Fujian who could assist with wider rural revitalisation projects. Furthermore, financial support between the regions allowed for major infrastructural improvements to take place in the poorer districts. The evidence of the success of this long-term partnership can be seen in income levels: annual per capita disposable income for rural residents in Ningxia has risen from about 1,400 yuan in 1996 to more than 20,000 yuan in 2025. The model of East-West collaboration within China (such as that between Fujian and Ningxia) has shown huge success, as exemplified by Minning, and is set to continue to expand to support China’s ongoing development goals.
As seen in Gansu, any poverty alleviation project requires consideration of both the development of basic infrastructure to support wellbeing, as well as the development of ways of making a living for the residents. Minning is no different, and our delegation was able to witness (and even participate in) one aspect of its economic development: its e-commerce infrastructure, which has been put into place to assist residents to expand the market access for their (primarily agricultural) products. Local villagers reported how they had received vocational training, and how in particular this kind of work provided opportunities for those with disabilities, who represented 30% of the workforce in the company we visited. One villager remarked on their change of circumstances: “Previously we didn’t know how to use computers, but now we are able to become e-commerce influencers.” Delegates were given the opportunity to appear directly on a livestream and assisted the locals in selling their products (which, at that time, was goat milk). A local news report captured some opinions of delegates at the site.
A book launch event was held in Minning, which told its redevelopment story, alongside other such stories from the length and breadth of the country: Leaving No One Behind: China’s Stories of Poverty Alleviation, published by Contemporary World Press. The book is available in English and the launch was to celebrate its translation into Khmer language, for distribution in Cambodia.
Following the explorations of the rural regions on the road from Gansu to Ningxia, we arrived at the region’s capital of Yinchuan, which sits on the Yellow River, considered the “mother river” of Chinese civilisation. Several delegations, with over 120 representatives from more than 55 countries, who had inspected poverty alleviation projects in other parts of the country, all convened here for the conference on the theme of ‘Path to Modernisation: Takeaways from China’s Theory and Practice of Poverty Alleviation’, which took place on July 9, 2026.
The conference was convened by International Department of the CPC (IDCPC) Vice Minister Sun Haiyun, who remarked that Ningxia had been chosen as the location since it was so central to General Secretary Xi Jinping’s vision for poverty alleviation, as represented by the Fujian-Ningxia East-West paired assistance model, and stated that the purpose of the gathering was for all attendees to be able to apply some of the lessons learned in their own national contexts. Vice Minister Sun also noted the timeliness of the gathering, taking place not long after China had celebrated the 105th anniversary of the founding of the CPC.
Further presentations were given by local villagers, village party secretaries, and provincial party leaders, including Li Huiqin, who had left Fujian to work in Minning as a seconded official, and who gave more details about the paired assistance model, stressing the ‘two-way’ nature, in which both regions benefit from the partnership. Li Yifei, CPC secretary for Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, described the 30-year partnership as “a bond across rivers and seas”. He discussed how Ningxia’s development had not been at the cost of its ecological treasures and added that ecological protection and restoration and poverty alleviation are not polar opposites: “as long as we preserve green mountains, we will have mountains of gold and silver.”
Liu Haixing, Minister of the IDCPC, spoke about what happens “after” poverty alleviation. He stressed that, now that the first centenary goal of abolishing extreme poverty had been achieved, it’s essential to consolidate the gains made and continue building on the achievements, aiming for the further goals which are set for 2035 and 2049. This will take the form of “accurate identification” of support requirements, allowing for specific, tailored responses to “ensure relief hits the mark” with “household-specific policies.” This mission will continue to require the mobilisation of the whole of Chinese society, and the utilisation of high-quality development infrastructure, including innovative cutting-edge technology such as artificial intelligence tools. Countering some narratives which suggest China has chased GDP-measured development above all other considerations, Minister Liu emphasised that the drive to deliver common prosperity for all ethnic groups is so central that it will be prioritised “even at the cost of the growth rate.”
In addition, Liu went on to highlight the importance of sharing the experiences with friends around the world, who can take lessons and tailor them to their own national conditions. Through fighting to abolish absolute poverty and improve development globally, a key plank of President Xi’s vision of a “community of a shared future for humanity” can be collectively realised. With this in mind, separate sessions were held on lessons from China’s experience and their application in a number of areas of the Global South, with prominent politicians, academics, and media figures from those countries, and separate sessions being held on Africa, Latin America, and Asia respectively.
Following the conference, our delegation had the opportunity to visit an important historical site, Jiangtaibao, where, in late 1936, the three main groups of the Red Army were able to finally meet after their arduous experiences on the Long March. This spot marked their successful evasion of their enemies, and from here the CPC could build its revolutionary base, from which the revolution would eventually be won. It is an inspiring spot, with an impressive monument and a museum. Our guides told us that this visit was included in our itinerary as they wanted to connect the ‘Long March’ spirit to the ongoing poverty alleviation projects, as well as the fact that this year marks the 90th anniversary of the victorious end of the march. In its ambition, scale, intensity, and in terms of how much it demands of its participants, these parallels can be clearly drawn. As with the Long March, there have been great sacrifices, including ultimate sacrifices, made for the mission of China’s rejuvenation and for common prosperity. Those CPC cadres we met who had participated in the projects stressed that they see the poverty alleviation programmes as revolutionary practice in the new era, and as such aim to apply the same level of dedication as their forbears had on the Long March. China’s leaders, too, recognise that for socialism to be accepted globally it must prove its “institutional advantage” over capitalism, with Deng Xiaoping stating: “To uphold socialism, a socialism that is to be superior to capitalism, it is imperative first and foremost to eliminate poverty.” It is clear from the sites we visited in Gansu and Ningxia that important battles on this revolutionary journey have been won, and that China is serious about continuing its winning streak in the long march against poverty.
Beijing: international delegates meet with CPC Politburo member Li Shulei
Following the conclusion of our itinerary in China’s northwest, our delegation had a short stay in Beijing. We were invited to visit Yizhuang Economic Development Zone in the south of the city, where the latest robotics, artificial intelligence, and other high-quality technological products were displayed. From a “robot barista” (who could, moreover, print a photo of one’s face directly onto the latte foam) to mobility-assistance “exoskeletons” which supported those with limited mobility, enabling them to go hiking or lift heavier weights, there was a wide variety of practical, industrial, and whimsical tech on display. Increasingly, these developments are outstripping their Western equivalents and visitors to China often report that it feels more and more like “visiting the future” when you spend time in China’s most developed cities.
Towards the end of our trip, select delegates from our itinerary were invited to meet with senior CPC representatives, to discuss their trip and their thoughts. Alongside political leaders from Global South nations I was invited to a meeting with the head of the CPC Central Committee’s Publicity Department and member of the Politburo Comrade Li Shulei. In the meeting, I was asked to make some brief remarks about my experiences, which were the following:
Thank you, your excellency, Mr. Li. Friends of Socialist China has always appreciated the support in our work to “tell China’s story” in English-speaking countries where often news misrepresents the truth about China.
Thank you also to the staff who arranged our fascinating and well-coordinated site visits in Gansu and Ningxia.
Regarding the delegation, what was most inspiring for me was the way that various levels of Chinese society cooperated to achieve the goal of poverty alleviation: from local farmers, to provincial and national-level leaders, across all minority groups in the regions, between cooperatives and corporations, between public and private organisations, and even between regions, as shown by the Fujian-Ningxia paired assistance. This clearly demonstrated to me that all the people of China are one family, working towards the same ends. The fact that these disparate groups are working towards common purposes is clearly thanks to the leadership of the party under the direction of General Secretary Xi Jinping and utilises his thought on the topic.
This strong leadership and clear direction allows for the continuity and confidence that the efforts of poverty alleviation will result in outcomes upon which the people can rely and allows them to feel ownership of the enterprises and cooperatives that are essential to sustainable poverty reduction.
Thank you again. I am very motivated to share these stories to help those in English-speaking countries to spread a more realistic impression of China’s development and the results of Xi Jinping Thought on Poverty Alleviation.
