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Tibet makes progress in poverty battle
By:Xinhua
update:March 15,2018

LHASA, Mar. 15, 2018 -- Herders who live at the foot of Mount Qomolangma are preparing for the coming mountain-climbing season in May.

About 7,500 people live in the Zhaxizom Township in Dingri County of Tibet Autonomous Region, at the foot of the world's highest mountain.

Renting tents, as well as providing logistical support and yak transport, villagers generally make handsome sums of money every season when climbers and tourists arrive.

Once an impoverished township, Zhaxizom has become a boom town.

"We earn 40,000 yuan (about 6,300 U.S. dollars) renting only one tent per year, and then we divide the profits among the people," said Chimed Tsering, Communist Party secretary of Qoizom village at the township.

More than 85 percent of the land in Tibet is located more than 4,000 meters above sea level. Harsh natural conditions have been part of the causes of entrenched poverty.

"Tibet is making the utmost efforts in fighting poverty," said Yin Fenshui, director of the poverty-relief office in the region.

From 2013 to 2017, a total of 530,000 people, about 16 percent of the regional population, had been lifted above the poverty line, with per capita annual income of 2,300 yuan, a standard set in 2011.

"The past five years witnessed strong push and robust investment, which was not seen in the region before," Yin said.

Tibet has around 3.2 million people. By the end of 2017, about 12.4 percent of the population lived below poverty line.

In 2018, Tibet aims to solve poverty problems for 150,000 people. "I'm confident of meeting the target," Yin said.

Poverty in Tibet has received attention from the central government, which gives many types of policy and fund support, according to Tibetan regional officials.

In 2017, over 12 billion yuan (about 1.9 billion dollars) was earmarked for developing industries and creating jobs in Tibet. The investment directly helped up to 70,000 people move above the poverty line, according to Tibetan government statistics.

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