Digital Economy Revitalizes Rural China

Taobao villages have made significant economic and social contributions, which have boosted farmers’ incomes, incentivized people to return home to start their own enterprises, facilitated flexible em

    Taobao villages have made significant economic and social contributions, which have boosted farmers’ incomes, incentivized people to return home to start their own enterprises, facilitated flexible employment, industrial prosperity, poverty alleviation, and rural revitalization.The development of Taobao villages has helped lifted many rural areas out of poverty through encouraging online sales of farm produce and local specialties.The number of Taobao villages has risen to 4,310 by the end of this June, and the growth is still gaining momentum, according to a report jointly issued by AliResearch, Nanjing University, Zhejiang University and the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. The report also said that over the past year, annual sales from online stores in Taobao Villages and Taobao Towns had exceeded 700 billion yuan, accounting for almost 50% of China’s rural online retail sales. The fast expansion of Taobao villages has become a China phenomenon, which also inspires other countries to seek unconventional development solutions by leveraging digital technology.For free download of the full report