President: Use traits of village to prosper

A sinuous paved mountain road leads to the village of Shibadong in Xiangxi Tujia-Miao autonomous prefecture, a place that marks President Xi Jinping's first use of the strategy of targeted poverty alleviation.

During Xi's stop at the village in Hunan province on Nov 3, 2013, he said efficient measures for targeted poverty alleviation should be adopted on the basis of the village's reality. The village then aimed to forge itself into the "most beautiful village in China" by protecting its natural environment and indigenous culture.

Neat flagstone pathways and steps link frame houses in the village, which has erected eye-catching signboards with Miao culture notes in both Mandarin and Miao.