This open access book presents the findings of the author's 3 decades of studying China's
evolving anti-poverty strategies. It argues that much of the billions that nations spend yearly
on economic aid is used inefficiently or to treat the symptoms but not the root causes of
poverty. China however has evolved an effective sustainable alternative by providing the
means for self-reliance to not only relieve economic poverty but also poverty of spirit. As a
result the success of China's historic war on poverty has been due not only to top-down
visionary leadership but also to the bottom-up initiatives of an empowered populace
unswervingly united in ending poverty.From 1993 to 2019 the author drove over 200 000 km
around China and interviewed hundreds of people from all walks of life as he explored the
evolution of China's anti-poverty strategies from simplistic aid and redistribution which
often engendered dependency and poverty of spirit. Over time the philosophy shifted
toempowerment by fostering self-reliance-or as Chinese put it blood production rather than
blood transfusion. The primary method of empowerment was to provide modern infrastructure
Roads first then riches so rural dwellers in remote Inner Mongolia or the Himalayan heights
of Tibet had the same access to markets jobs and internet for e-commerce as their urban
counterparts. People who seized the opportunities and prospered first then used their newfound
wealth and experience to help others. The stories in this book include a Tibetan entrepreneur
whose family was impoverished in spite of 300 years of service to the Panchen Lama or the farm
girl with 4 years of education who now has several international schools a biotechnology
company and poverty alleviation projects across China or the photographer who walked 40 000 km
through deserts to chronicle the threat of desertification. Their tales underscore how diverse
people across China helped make possible China's success in alleviating absolute poverty and
why Chinese are now confident in achieving a moderately prosperous society.
