Tianjin district takes four counties under its wing

Tianjin's Wuqing district has lifted over 166,000 residents of four counties in relatively poor provinces out of poverty by providing them with resources, investment and skills training.

In the past three years, the district has allocated anti-poverty funds totaling 740 million($110.5 million) to Weichang county in Hebei province, Jingning and Jingchuan in Gansu province, and Jiangda in the Tibet autonomous region, according to Dai Dongqiang, head of the district.

To apply the funds fully to improving local living standards and boosting the local economies, the Wuqing government made careful and concrete plans with their counterparts of the four counties based on their specific realities and situations.

With the encouragement of the Tianjin and Wuqing governments, 38 projects settled in the counties with investment of 150 million yuan, injecting strong impetus into the local agricultural and tourism industries and benefiting 9,700 people. Wuqing also set up a 6 million subsidy for enterprises that develop in the four counties.

Broadening online and offline sales channels have opened in Tianjin for the counties' products. They are available in supermarkets, enterprises, commercial fairs and online platforms. A sales volume of 320 million yuan has been reached.

To create more jobs, Wuqing sets up workshops and offers job subsidies and skills training to people in need. More than 7,000 residents of the four counties have received training in skills such as making clothes, housekeeping, and installing electrical facilities.

Hundreds of civil servants and professionals were sent from the coastal district to work shoulder to shoulder with poor villagers.

Hospitals, schools and enterprises in the district are paired with their counterparts to share resources and increase exchanges.