Dulongjiang Township in Gongshan County is home to the Dulong ethnic minority group, with residents long enduring poverty in the past, in the deep isolated gorges of the Dulongjiang River.
Gao Derong, former head of Gongshan County, led villagers there to build a road in the rugged mountains, linking the Dulong people with the outside world.
Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Yunnan in January 2015. He met with Gao and called him a role model of the times, a leader of the Dulong people, and an example for all people in China. Xi said the Dulongjiang Township will develop better owing to people like Gao.
In 2018, the Dulong people were all lifted out of poverty.
