A Zhuhai-sponsored residential community in mountainous northwest Yunnan Province is recognized in China's 13th Five-Year Plan Period (2016-20) as a Beautiful Relocation Site for Poverty Alleviation.

Situated on the Nujiang River north of Baoshan and west of Dali, the Weilaba Zhuhai Residential Community is in Lushui City, Nujiang Lisu Autonomous Prefecture. Weilaba is among 1,200 projects cited on the Circular of Nationwide Typical Relocation Cases for Poverty Relief recently released by the General Office of the National Development & Reform Commission.

Covering 589 mu (39 hectares, 97 acres), 81 residential buildings have combined floorage of more than 50,000 sqm (12 acres) for 815 apartments. Construction from June 2016 to November 2019 was financed with 189 million yuan ($29 million) from Zhuhai.

Nujiang now has morchella (morel mushroom) plantations [Photo by Li Jianshu / Zhuhai Daily]

There currently are 2,231 residents in 717 households, comprising mostly Lisu and Bai ethnic groups from 52 villages in Daxingdi Town and Chenggan Township. They are served by a Party-mass Service Center, Gree (Geli) Primary School & Kindergarten, Elderly Service Center, Comprehensive Governance Center, police station, farmer's market, library, water works, and sewage treatment plant.

In addition to the comfortable residences, Zhuhai increased funding this year to build 2,700 sqm (2/3 acre) of walnut and USB cable-processing workshops for poverty relief. In line with that, the Zhuhai work group assigned for poverty alleviation established a labor dispatch company to guide young workers to job opportunities in Zhuhai or other cities. There are more than 500 locals currently working in Zhuhai and more than 200 employed "at their doorstep."

Since pairing with Nujiang for assistance in 2016, Zhuhai has invested 1.43 billion yuan ($219 million), dispatched 430 officials and technical staff, initiated 166 characterized breeding projects, set up 21 workshops, built six relocation sites, and renovated dilapidated houses at four sites.

In total, 24,246 Nujiang laborers were transferred to Guangdong for employment and 270,000 local residents were lifted out of poverty.

Moreover, Zhuhai has contributed to poverty alleviation in Yangjiang and Maoming cities in Guangdong Province, Litang and Daocheng counties in Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Sichuan Province, Wushan County of Chongqing Municipality, and Milin County and Farm of Linzhi City in Tibet.