On August 8, Wanda Group launched a campaign to reduce poverty through consumer spending. More than 3,143 automated vending machines selling goods from poverty-stricken areas are being introduced to 320 Wanda Plaza around China, directly benefiting people still living below poverty line. Mr. Hong Tianyun, Deputy Director of the State Council Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development, and Mr. Qi Jie, President of Wanda Group, attended the event and unveiled the first poverty alleviation vending machine in Beijing.

Making poverty alleviation vending machines available to city consumers is an important action to reduce poverty through the power of consumer spending. Spanning more than 200 cities across the country, Wanda Plaza is China's leading platform for bricks and mortar businesses, with 4.27 billion visits in 2019. Located in the commercial centers of cities, Wanda Plazas boast strong customer traffic and steady consumer demand. The rollout of poverty alleviation vending machines in Wanda Plazas can take full advantage of Wanda Plaza network, and build a bridge between nume rous consumers of Wanda Plazas and products from poor areas. Poverty alleviation can be achieved through consumption as products from less developed areas are directly available for urban consumers.

To improve the sales of poverty alleviation products, Wanda Group carefully selects the most visited places within Wanda Plazas, such as entrances, indoor pedestrian streets, spots next to escalators and elevators, to place the vending machines. On average, each Wanda Plaza has at least 10 such machines. To ensure the effectiveness of consumption-driven poverty alleviation model, all the goods sold by the vending machines can be found in the National Catalogue of Poverty Alleviation Products published by the State Council Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development. Every time when consumers purchase these products, they contribute to the income growth of poor rural households.

Mr. Qi Jie, President of Wanda Group, says that 2020 is the decisive year in China's fight against poverty. In order to implement General Secretary Xi Jinping's important directive on poverty alleviation through consumption, seven ministries and commissions jointly issued a document this year, urging the entire society to vigorously promote poverty alleviation through consumption. Wanda Group actively responded to the call and decided to step up the consumption-driven poverty alleviation efforts by making use of Wanda Plazas throughout China, while continuing to do a good job in the tourim-driven poverty alleviation work in Danzhai.

Hong Tianyun, Deputy Director of the State Council Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development, says that by setting up poverty alleviation vending machines in Wanda Plazas throughout China and taking advantage of the Wanda Selected WeChat mini program, Wanda Group has built a platform and expanded sales channel for poverty alleviation products. It is not only a practical measure to execute consumption-driven poverty alleviation, but also a long-term mechanism for social poverty alleviation. It is timely, meaningful and praiseworthy. Hong hopes that more private enterprises can follow the example of Wanda Group, and participate in the drive to reduce poverty through consumption.