Aerial photo taken on Dec. 8, 2019 shows roads meandering through an orange plantation in Youjiang District of Baise City, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. Though bordering the wealthy Guangdong Province and boasting a coastline of 1,500 kilometers, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region is a mountainous region and has long been plagued by poverty. Transport difficulties remained a major impediment to rural development, mainly in mountain-locked rural areas in Guangxi. Inadequate road access was common, and most of the time people had to walk. Many roads were either paved by dirt or small stones, which made the vehicles very bumpy and can barely get through. Poor transportation infrastructure blocked people and services from the outside and trapped the reclusive mountain dwellers in extreme poverty for generations. Improving rural road infrastructure has been accredited for accelerating Guangxi's poverty relief campaign. A full-coverage rural highway network connecting townships and administrative villages by tarmac or cement roads has been set up in Guangxi. By the end of last year, expressways had surpassed 6,000 km in the region, and 92 percent of its counties had access to expressways. Strengthening the construction of rural transport infrastructure is key to boosting various rural industries since better rural roads will reduce travel time, facilitate trade and allow more movement of people and goods, accelerating the pace of poverty eradication. (Xinhua/Zhang Ailin)
Aerial photo taken on April 15, 2020 shows a rural road in Wucun Township in Tianyang District of Baise City, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. (Photo/Xinhua)
Aerial photo taken on April 15, 2020 shows a rural road in Wucun Township in Tianyang District of Baise City, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. (Photo/Xinhua)
Aerial photo taken on Oct. 11, 2019 shows rural roads in Longji Township of Longsheng County, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. (Photo/Xinhua)
Aerial photo taken on Oct. 16, 2018 shows field paths in Yongfu County of Guilin City, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. (Photo/Xinhua)
Aerial photo taken on Dec. 8, 2017 shows a road traversing a silkworm-raising industrial park in Hechi City, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. (Photo/Xinhua)
Aerial photo taken on Aug. 28, 2019 shows field paths meandering through a dragon fruit plantation in Silin Township of Tiandong County, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. (Photo/Xinhua)
Villagers and a poverty-relief cadre (R, back) walk on a rural road at Dongjia Village of Lihu Township in Nandan County, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Feb. 5, 2018. (Photo/Xinhua)
Aerial photo taken on Dec. 16, 2019 shows a rural road at Bahao Village of Bansheng Township in Dahua Yao Autonomous County, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. (Photo/Xinhua)
Aerial photo taken on April 15, 2020 shows a section of an expressway linking Sanjiang Dong Autonomous County and Liuzhou City, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. (Photo/Xinhua)
Aerial photo taken on Nov. 1, 2019 shows field paths in Kangxiling Township in Qinnan District of Qinzhou City, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. (Photo/Xinhua)
Aerial photo taken on Aug. 2, 2017 shows a rural road in Chengjiang Township of Du'an Yao Autonomous County, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. (Photo/Xinhua)
Photo taken on March 17, 2020 shows a rural road under construction in Daxing Township of Du'an Yao Autonomous County, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. (Photo/Xinhua)
Aerial photo taken on July 23, 2019 shows a section of Lanzhou-Haikou Expressway in Du'an Yao Autonomous County, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. (Photo/Xinhua)
Aerial photo taken on March 8, 2018 shows a rural road in Guling Township of Mashan County, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. (Photo/Xinhua)
Photo taken on March 17, 2020 shows a rural road under construction in Daxing Township of Du'an Yao Autonomous County, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. (Photo/Xinhua)
Villagers build a rural road at Nongxiong Village of Qibainong Township in Dahua Yao Autonomous County, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Aug. 15, 2016.(Photo/Xinhua)
Aerial photo taken on March 18, 2018 shows a rural road at Nameng Village of Napo County, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. (Photo/Xinhua)
Aerial photo taken on Dec. 5, 2017 shows rural roads in Sirong Township of Rongshui Miao Autonomous County, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. (Photo/Xinhua)
