China promotes purchasing produce from poorer provinces

China on Tuesday launched a monthlong campaign to promote sales of farm produce from poorer provinces in the nation's central and western regions.

The campaign comes as part of a broader effort to curb rural poverty and give a shot in the arm to lackluster sales of agricultural products in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak earlier this year, as well as massive floods wreaking havoc in southern provinces this summer.

The campaign kicked off with a launch ceremony held in Beijing on Tuesday, attended by officials and businesses representatives from impoverished regions and in wealthier cities, the potential markets for such products.

The campaign involves 11 central authorities headed by the State Council Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development, the top antipoverty agency.

It features a series of events aimed at bolstering the publicity of virtual and brick-and-mortar venues selling such products.

The campaign is the latest attempt by central authorities to scrap absolute poverty in impoverished regions by the end of this year. China has pledged to establish a "moderately prosperous society in all aspects" in time for the Communist Party of China's centenary in 2021.