A railway in Yunnan province on Feb 24, 2019. (Photo: IC)

A total of 737,500 impoverished people from 27 poverty-stricken counties in southwest China's Yunnan province were lifted out of poverty last year, local authorities said Friday.

The progress was attributed to a string of measures, such as creating job opportunities, developing industries, relocating people from inhospitable areas and offering allowances to the poor, elderly and sick.

The province has sent over 100 government officials to the impoverished Nujiang Lisu Autonomous Prefecture and Zhenxiong County to help with the poverty alleviation work.

By the end of 2018, there was still an impoverished population of 137,790 in Yunnan.

China has set 2020 as the target year to complete the building of a moderately prosperous society and eradicating poverty.