China relocates 9.3 million poor people to more inhabitable areas

China has relocated 9.3 million poor residents to more inhabitable areas over the past four years, the country's top economic planning body said Wednesday.

A villager prepares to move into her new house in Lhozhag Town of Lhozhag County, Shannan City, southwest China's Tibet autonomous region, Sept. 21, 2019. [Photo/Xinhua]

Among them, 9.2 million residents have shaken off poverty, the National Development and Reform Commission said in a statement on its website.

China plans to relocate nearly 10 million poor residents in unsustainable conditions to more inhabitable places during the 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-2020) period, as part of the government's efforts to eliminate poverty by 2020.

So far, 22 provincial regions have built over 2.6 million apartments and houses for the relocated people. Some of them escaped poverty by gaining employment in poverty alleviation workshops close to their new homes or working in cities.

The commission urged local authorities to put support policies in place, foster distinctive industries, and help the relocated residents find jobs and adapt to their new environment.