On October 15,Khamphoune Touphaythoune, vice governor of Savannakhet Province of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, led a 20-person senior government official delegation to observe HNU’s targeted poverty alleviation work in Longhui County. CPC Longhui Committee Secretary Wang Yonghong, and persons in charge of the Hunan Office of Foreign Affairs Commission, HNU Overseas Student Service Center, and Targeted Poverty Alleviation Office, attended the tour.

The delegation visited a housing renovation project in Chongmudang Village undertaken by HNU School of Architecture. They learnt about the renovated householdkitchens,wood-burningcook stoves, and kitchen exhaust system. They hoped to learn from HNU in folk house renovation based on cold highland conditions and folk customs.

They then went to Baishuidong Village. They visited HNU’s Huayaohua Intangible Cultural Heritage Cultural Creation Poverty Alleviation Base; learnt about Baishuidong Primary School renovation and upgrades project, and local industries of Hujiuwuyu tea and Baishuidong selenium-rich rice; and experiencedlocal homestays and Huayao customs.

Khamphoune Touphaythoune spoke highly of HNU’s practice in using cultural creation and technology to increase agricultural product value, and promote tourism.

He remarked that, HNU has taken advantage of its industrial, educational, and cultural creation service to support Longhui’s development, and help lift the people out of poverty, which were impressive. Their visit this time aimed to learn from Chinese higher educational institutions’ experiences in facilitating local development, and introduce the “HNU mode” to Laos.

In recent years, HNU has worked out a customized approach to boost targeted poverty alleviation. Meanwhile, it has actively responded to the national “Belt and Road” Initiative and participated in international exchanges.Thai Privy Councilor Kasem Watanachai and his entourage, Vietnam Young and Middle-aged Cadres Training Class attendees, andother“Belt and Road” countries’ delegations observed HNU’s poverty alleviation projects.