On September 22nd, Wu Changhai, deputy general manager of GPHL, summarized the latest development of the Group’s poverty alleviation efforts at a Press Conference for the Poverty Alleviation Campaign of National State-owned Assets and SOEs in Guangzhou. GPHL is one of the municipally owned corporations that have made remarkable inroads in alleviating poverty through consumption and industry development as well as in targeted poverty alleviation. "We launched the first marketing campaign across the Group, and Ciningji’s sales is expected to exceed 500 million RMB this year," Wu said.

GPHL developed Ciningji mixed juice within 98 days after it took up the mission of supporting Guizhou province’s roxburgh rose industry on November 16th, 2018. Later on, it also developed other products, such Ciningji Lozonge, Roxburgh Rose Herbal Jelly and Ciningji Sparkling Wine. After brand promotion and channel building in the last year, the sales of Ciningji products amounted to over 100 million RMB, helping lift over 2.8 million people out of poverty and increase their revenue.

Data from Guizhou Provincial Industry and Information Bureau shows that, thanks to the help of GPHL’s subsidiary Wanglaoji, the companies involved in roxburgh rose production and processing saw year-on-year growth in sales of more than 30%, effectively invigorating the local economy.

For alleviating poverty through consumption, GPHL worked with Guizhou government to hold the 2020 Guizhou Roxburgh Rose Industry Development Forum, and developed unique selling points for those Vitamin C-rich products, that is, being healthy, helping people prevent COVID-19 and purchasing Ciningji as a means of poverty alleviation. It also issued 200 million RMB worth of Ciningji vouchers and invited Dr. Zhong Nanshan to promote this soft drink in a live broadcast.

GPHL helped alleviate poverty by utilizing its technological advantages. On April 28th, the research team led by Dr. Zhong Nanshan and Guizhou Provincial Research Institute for Respiratory Diseases jointly built the Industry-university–institute Cooperation Group for Studying Roxburgh Rose as a Prevention Approach and Treatment of Respiratory Diseases in order to integrate more research findings and technologies with roxburgh rose and other relevant products. In addition, Guangyao Wanglaoji (Bijie) Industry Company Limited has been upgrading Ciningji Sparkling Wine and developing new products, such as preserved roxburgh rose, 100% pure fruit extract and dietary supplements.

Apart from the poverty alleviation efforts rolled out in Guizhou, GPHL has launched targeted poverty alleviation in Jingkou, Wanxi and Yuanling villages in Meizhou city of Guangdong. The company has invested more than 10 million RMB, helping lift 358 rural residents in 141 households out of poverty.

GPHL has helped the three villages build three night schools for local farmers. In recent years 13 vocational training programmes were launched and nearly 500 villagers and residents below the current poverty line participated in the training.

Authors: Monica & Michelle

Editors: Olivia & Jerry