Tibet lifts 260,000 people out of poverty in past two years

LHASA -- Southwest China's Tibet autonomous region has lifted 260,000 people out of poverty during the past two years, Qizhala, chairman of the regional government, said Wednesday.

At the end of 2017, about 330,000 Tibet residents lived below the poverty line, defined as a per capita annual income of 2,300 yuan ($348) at 2010 prices, down from 590,000 at the end of 2015, Qizhala told local lawmakers in a report on the work of regional government.

In 2017, per capita disposable income for urban and rural residents reached 30,671 yuan and 10,330 yuan, respectively, up 10.3 percent and 13.6 percent, Qizhala said.

"The regional government will prioritize anti-poverty efforts in areas of abject poverty, allocating more funds, programs and personnel to these areas," he said.

Tibet has vowed to lift 140,000 people out of poverty in 2018, local authorities said. The total population in the region is about 3.2 million.

From 2016 to 2020, Tibet plans to invest over 200 billion yuan (30 billion U.S. dollars) to eradicate poverty, with 90 percent of that investment going to infrastructure and poverty-relief projects in the poorest areas.

China has set 2020 as the target year to finish building a moderately prosperous society and completely eradicate poverty.