China Pledges Support for Poverty Reduction Projects Using Internet

Local farmers in Songbai town, Hunan province, conduct online marketing via livestreaming platforms to lift themselves out of poverty. [Photo by Guo Liliang/For China Daily]

BEIJING - China will support projects on poverty reduction using the internet as a further step to win the battle against poverty, the National Development and Reform Commission said on its website.

According to a guideline released on the website, the move will expand Internet coverage in China's impoverished regions.

The guideline called for expansion of the application of the internet, big data, internet of things and artificial intelligence in agriculture and rural areas.

The government will support e-commerce in rural areas as part of the poverty reduction efforts, expanding the channel to sell agricultural products from impoverished regions.

Support will be extended to the development of information terminals fit for use in agriculture and rural areas such as those for remote medical service and online education.