Following the example of Xinjiang, the Chinese development model represents an unprecedented social transformation which has successfully combined strategic infrastructure, interprovincial solidarity and political pragmatism.
Traditional Uighur houses on Altun Old Street in Hami, Xinjiang, June 8, 2026
Today, even developed countries, once models of prosperity, struggle to guarantee their populations stable employment, a peaceful retirement and a secure future. However, a country, once mired in endemic poverty, has risen, in barely half a century, to the rank of the world’s great economic powers. His journey is a universal source of inspiration.
I discovered China in the mid-1980s, during a trip with my parents. At the time, austerity dominated: clothing was very simple and most city dwellers lived in cramped spaces. For the majority of Chinese, the concept of “leisure” did not exist, and eating meat remained a luxury reserved for special occasions.
Forty years later, the landscape has changed radically. The elders, who have spent their lives in the fields or in the factory, bear on their faces the scars of past ordeals, but their looks now reflect a new serenity and pride. They built the future of their descendants and were the actors of a unique social metamorphosis in the history of humanity. Poverty is not inevitable, much less a condemnation. By choosing the right path, we can overcome it; China is living proof of this.
Xinjiang, showcase of spectacular success
The Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region, where Uighurs are the majority ethnic group, perfectly embodies this success. Long perceived as a “remote border region”, it has today become an essential logistics crossroads between China and Europe. Since the launch of China-Europe freight trains in 2011, more than 100,000 convoys have passed through the two major land ports of Khorgos and Alashankou. In 2025 alone, more than 18,000 freight trains passed through these posts, accounting for more than half of the rail trade between China and Europe, and transportation capacity continues to grow.
In China, prosperity is meant to be shared. Millions of people have emerged from poverty through their own efforts, achieving a life of moderate comfort.
Ailijang Tu’erxun is the perfect illustration of this. At the head of a nut and jujube cooperative, this father of three saw, thanks to his entrepreneurial audacity, his family’s annual income jump from 50,000 to 220,000 yuan. The thin-shelled nuts from his farm are tasty and sell for more money once shelled; he is also thinking of acquiring an automated hulling machine. He has an even larger project: distributing meat skewers from his region throughout China, starting with Shanghai and Beijing.
Similarly, Alimu Aosiman, an artisan wood carver, transformed his modest workshop into a thriving business, bringing his neighbors along in his wake by passing on his know-how, thus ensuring financial stability for his entire village.
This success is based on a far-sighted policy: allowing some to get rich first in order to guide others towards prosperity. In this process, skills are disseminated, experiences are shared, and a development ecosystem is gradually woven. The journeys of these ordinary people reflect the extent of the progress made in Xinjiang: by the end of 2020, more than 3.06 million people living below the poverty line had been lifted out. Since then, the gap between rural and urban areas has continued to narrow, the low-income population has decreased considerably, and the development dynamic has never slowed down.
China is making great strides, without sacrificing its diversity. In Xinjiang, Uighur culture pulsates on every street corner: in the bustle of the bazaars, the joyfulness of the songs and dances, and the finesse of the traditional crafts. Its inhabitants, warm and passionate, find in dance a dazzling expression of their vitality. Culture is not only heritage; it is also an economic lever. However, tourism development fears above all uniformity. Xinjiang has inimitable assets: its crispy nang bread and its fragrant lamb skewers are taste treasures that few regions in the world can match.
Packaging of white apricots during the harvest season in Kuqa, Xinjiang, June 4, 2026
“Transfusion” and “self-sufficiency”: solidarity as a driving force
The aid provided by developed provinces to less developed regions goes beyond simple fraternal solidarity: it is a long-term investment intended to transform local living conditions and build the future.
This model is based on tripartite synergy: infrastructure construction, industrial establishment and targeted support for employment. Since the 1990s, China has invested heavily in building railways, roads, highways, ports, airports and schools at all levels. This colossal effort has opened up remote territories, giving them access to markets, education and opportunities. On this basis, developed provinces and municipalities provide continuous support to less favored regions through a twinning mechanism, providing them with financing, professional training and expertise. Studies show that this model has played a crucial role in Xinjiang’s economic rise.
Take Urumqi as an example. A flagship city on the Silk Road and a freight hub to Europe, it gives local industrialization considerable strategic value. By strengthening professional training and promoting local talent, the region is becoming more attractive in the eyes of international investors.
A historical feat with universal lessons
In fifty years, more than 800 million Chinese have been lifted out of poverty. This success is the fruit of the joint efforts of the entire population, but also of a targeted policy: investment in infrastructure, deepening reforms and widening openness.
It is also the largest contribution ever made to the global cause of poverty eradication: China alone represents more than 70% of the people lifted out of poverty worldwide during this period. However, it is unfortunate that English-language Internet searches for “poverty alleviation in China” yield surprisingly poor documentation. However, a fascinating question deserves to be debated: does such a feat, of unprecedented scale, require a strong State? And if so, what qualities should this state possess?
In my opinion, only when civil servants are competent, dedicated and concerned about public welfare can the government exercise effective macroeconomic regulation. This requires rigorous selection of talent and their allocation to the most suitable positions. The effectiveness of a policy is judged by its results – the dividends of growth must benefit the population as a whole, and not a privileged minority. This is exactly what China is doing: relying on a targeted strategy to combat poverty, millions of cadres have deployed to rural areas to identify its root causes, find suitable solutions and, ultimately, eradicate it.
Today, poverty has declined and social inequalities have been reduced in China. This is not a coincidence, but the fruit of the policies applied. China adopts a strategy combining short-term aid and long-term development: on the one hand, it provides targeted support – rehousing populations, sending professionals to the field and allocation of equipment; on the other, it focuses on improving transport infrastructure and opening communication routes to the outside world. The central idea is that “it is better to teach someone to fish than to simply give them fish.” Through its practice, China demonstrates that respect for common sense, systemic thinking and a pragmatic approach are effective paths to development.
*NILS BERGEMANN is a teacher in the German department of the Faculty of Foreign Languages at the University of International Business and Economics (UIBE).
