China Eastern charity brings big benefits to ethnic groups

Clothing featuring cultural elements of the Va ethnic group, designed by Donghua University and manufactured by people with disabilities in a poverty-stricken county in Southwest China's Yunnan province, will soon hit the shelves of a major Chinese retailer, thanks to a charity program initiated by China Eastern Airlines Corp Ltd.

The deal, which aims to benefit people in Cangyuan, a county with 180,000 residents in Yunnan, was signed by China Eastern, sportswear brand Li Ning Co Ltd, and the Shanghai-based university in Kunming on Oct 17 - the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty.

China Eastern has been involved in the area since it partnered with Cangyuan's disabled persons' federation in 2016, when it established the Barao ethnic garment and handicraft company.