Reducing digital divide in remote Yunnan

Residents from the Dulong River region use a mobile phone. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Dulong ethnic minority group in Dulongjiang township, Gongshan county, Yunnan province

The Dulong, one of China's smallest ethnic groups, live along the deep gorges of the Dulong River in Yunnan. This area, listed as one of the least developed regions in the country, did not bid farewell to the primitive life until the founding of New China in 1949.

One of the main reasons behind Dulong's poverty lies in its geographical complexities. The Dulong River region is not only a mountainous area, but also frequently struck by snowstorms in winter as well as landslides and mudslides in summer. About 20 years ago, it took three days to walk from Dulongjiang township to its nearest county of Gongshan. The township, which did not have the connections to receive telephone calls until 2004, is the last ethnic minority area in China to access basic telephone services.