In pics: Sharp contrasts seen in Drung area, NW Yunnan

Featuring deep valleys and towering mountains, the Drung ethnic area in northwest Yunnan’s Gongshan County used to be cut off from the outside civilizations, with Drung folks living in extreme poverty. 

When the People’s Republic was founded in 1949, the Drung people (one of the 28 ethnic groups with a smaller population) directly entered the socialist era from the primitive society. 

Thanks to local efforts in poverty alleviation and collective re-settlement in recent years, the area has seen speeding progress in public facilities, industrial development and talent training. In 2018, the Drung area as a whole was raised out of poverty. 

Now, all the 1,100 plus families in the Drung River township moved into new houses with access to the 4G internet, radio and Television networks. The villages are linked up by asphalt roads, giving impetus to industrial growth. 

Children in the area enjoy a 14-year compulsory education, with 100 percent attendance at primary schools. The insurance scheme for critical diseases has covered all.

Reporting by Hu Chao (Xinhua); Trans-editing by Wang Shixue