Even though Guizhou province is considered a backward place, when its 12th People's Congress opened its fourth meeting, on Jan 26, the acting governor, according to Sun Zhigang, announced an unexpectedly large provincial GDP of 1.05 trillion yuan ($159.6 billion) for 2015, compared to 2010's 459.4 billion yuan, making it a leader in GDP growth for 5 consecutive years.

It also helped at least 6 million people get out of poverty and, in addition to the economic development, it saw its infrastructure grow, including its high speed railways with a historic 700 kilometers.

And it had 1.07 trillion yuan ($162.6 billion) in fixed assets, for a 29.5-percent year-on-year growth, and registered capital up 41.2 percent, with Sun announcing that, "Guizhou has had great development which lays a good foundation for a better off society, even though there are challenges and problems ahead," referring to the small economy, large number of impoverished people, and big rural-urban gap.

Over the next five years, Guizhou has said it will continue its economic and ecological development, poverty relief and big data strategy.