On February 25, the National Poverty Alleviation Summary and Commendation Conference was held in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee, President of the State and Chairman of the Central Military Commission, presented awards and delivered important speeches to the winners of the honorary title of National Model for Poverty Alleviation.

To commend the outstanding individuals and units that have emerged in poverty eradication and create a strong atmosphere of advocating, learning, striving to be outstanding and catching up with and surpassing the outstanding ones in the whole society, the CPC Central Committee and the State Council commended 1,981 outstanding individuals and 1,501 outstanding units in the national poverty eradication campaign. Shi Peng, a poverty alleviation official of the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) and the first secretary (temporary) of Cangguanyu Village, was awarded the title of "National Outstanding Individual in Poverty Alleviation".

"The miracle of poverty reduction that shines through the annals of history best reflects the original aspiration and mission of the Chinese communists and demonstrates the strengths of the socialist system. As a frontline poverty alleviation participant from the intellectual property circle for four years, I feel very proud and encouraged. It is both a lofty mission entrusted to me by the times and a wonderful moment in my life at the right time that allows me to devote to the great cause of overcoming poverty, to respond to the call of the times with my youth energy, and to dedicate my learning and expertise to the frontline of poverty alleviation. Just as shaking off poverty is not the end, but the starting point of a new life and effort, I will also make persistent efforts at my current job and carry forward the spirit of poverty eradication, contribute to the development of intellectual property and the whole country."

—Remarks by Shi Peng, poverty alleviation official of the CNIPA and first secretary (temporary) of Cangguanyu Village, after attending the National Poverty Alleviation Summary and Commendation Conference

Poverty Alleviation Footprint in 2017: Erhutian Village

In early 2017, Shi Peng volunteered to participate in the designated poverty alleviation work in Sangzhi County, Hunan Province, and served as the first secretary of Erhutian Village, a key village in poverty alleviation assisted by the CNIPA. He worked hard while coordinating all the available resources. By the end of the year, Erhutian Village was successfully lifted out of poverty.

Poverty Alleviation Footprint in 2019: Cangguanyu Village

In early 2018, Shi Peng moved to Cangguanyu Village, a village of profound poverty in Hunan Province, as the first secretary there. After a year's effort, the situation in the village improved significantly. However, due to its fundamental weakness and large number of poor people, it was not yet lifted out of poverty. At that time, his two-year temporary employment had expired. The villagers were reluctant to let him leave and asked the CNIPA for him to work for another year to help life them out of poverty. Shi Peng felt sorry that the village was still in poverty and resolutely asked a year-long extension. In late 2019, under his leadership, Cangguanyu Village passed the assessment with high performance, becoming a model village of shaking off poverty. Then Shi Peng left the village and returned to his original job at the CNIPA.

In early 2020, the Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee demanded that the first secretaries stationed in villages should remain stable at the job during the key period of poverty eradication. When Shi Peng learned the news, he took the initiative to the personnel department of the CNIPA and said that he could overcome difficulties and work at the village for another year. At the critical moment of local Covid-19 prevention and control and decisive battle to overcome poverty, he returned to Cangguanyu Village and continued to serve as the first secretary there.

To get more involved in poverty alleviation, he moved his family to Sangzhi after discussing with his family. Shi Peng's wife is a Doctor of Biology from the Chinese Academy of Sciences and works on gene testing. In order to support Shi Peng, she quit her job and took their children to Sangzhi. Shi Peng's mother-in-law then was nearly 70 years old and insisted on taking care of the children in Sangzhi, saying that it's worth the move for family reunion. But because Shipeng stayed in the village, the chances of the family meeting together were not as much as when they were in Beijing: the best scenario was three or five days in a month. The villagers were deeply moved when learning that Shi Peng's wife made the move to support the cause of poverty alleviation.

Shi Peng was an official typically following the path of family education, schooling and then working at a government department. He was more like an intellectual. In the past four years, the frontline experience of poverty eradication, impressed him with the changes of the rural area. He said: "I have changed the appearance of the village together with the villagers, while the villagers have changed my life. The harvest is far greater than my dedication. Thank the CNIPA for giving me the opportunity to participate in the great cause of overcoming poverty. This will become the most unforgettable memory in my life."(Translated from CNIPA Website Chinese Version)