Guizhou
China's first national big data pilot zone; Guizhou Cloud with Alibaba; 33M+ formerly poor employed (2024); 4th-lowest per capita GDP but fastest-growing.
Guizhou transformed from China's poorest province into its first national big data pilot zone under the 2014 'Big Data, Big Poverty Reduction' strategy. Digital economy growth since 2015 built Guizhou's reputation as China's data center hub. Guizhou Cloud, sponsored by Guizhou Big Data Development Administration with Alibaba expertise, develops government digital systems. The Guizhou Poverty Alleviation Cloud pioneered breaking information barriers between economic, housing, education, and health departments. By end of 2024, 33+ million formerly impoverished people found jobs nationally (4th consecutive year above 30 million). Research shows tourism positively influences multidimensional poverty alleviation across 73 Guizhou counties. The province remains fourth-lowest in per capita GDP but ranks among China's fastest-growing. Mountain tourism, ecological civilization, and inland economic pilot zones diversify development. Data centers exploit cool climate and cheap hydropower.