Good practices at grassroots effective

Joint efforts from both grassroots officials and poor residents are essential to revitalize China's vast rural areas and win the battle against dire poverty, local officials said on Thursday.

Long Shuwu, Party chief of an ethnic Miao community in Hunan province, said residents were once dependent on government assistance and lived in poverty, but when they were motivated to initiate a change through their own efforts, they saw a major transformation.

"The village is now making progress in raising crops and livestock and is developing tourism. We had no collectively owned businesses in the past, but our income reached 600,000 yuan ($94,774) as of the end of last year, and is expected to double this year," he said.