Shanxi University has recently been playing an active part in Shanxi province’s targeted poverty alleviation campaign.

The school’s delegation, headed by Shanxi University’s President Jia Suotang and Vice President Han Yonghong, paid a visit to poverty-stricken villages in Jingle county in Xinzhou city on Dec 6.

The provincial campaign was laid out in the province’s 2016 government report released in January and serves as a part of Shanxi’s 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-20).

Li Xiaopeng, former governor of Shanxi province, spoke about its 2.32 million residents living in 58 poverty-stricken counties, setting out the goal of ending the situation by 2020. He claimed a total of 50,000 people would be lifted out of poverty by the end of this year.

The delegates led by Shanxi University’s President Jia Suotang (Left, second) and Vice President Han Yonghong (Left, third) review files provided by village officials and receive reports at a symposium held on Dec 6. The two sides discussed boosting the poverty-stricken areas’ agricultural sector, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and rural tourism. Jia noted the fundamental role of education in poverty reduction efforts. He promised to contribute to voluntary efforts to help the locals out of their current situation. [Photo from sxu.edu.cn]

Wang Zhimin (Middle), Shanxi University’s delegate, is tasked to assist the area's poverty alleviation efforts. [Photo from sxu.edu.cn]

The visiting delegation tours agricultural areas while promoting new models integrating functions from businesses, farmers and Shanxi University for economic development. [Photo from sxu.edu.cn]

Officials from Jingle county with delegates from Shanxi University. [Photo from sxu.edu.cn]