Du'an Yao autonomous county in Hechi, Guangxi has long been known as a land of mountains and hills. Of its 4,000-square-kilometer area, 89 percent is covered by mountains. Back in 1955 when the autonomous country was established, the total length of highways in the area was only 70 km. Today, mileage has risen to almost 2,000 km, thanks to the local government and people's efforts to build roads in spite of the difficulties. The roads cutting across high ridges provide poverty-stricken local Yao people with better access to a more connected life.

Photo taken on Aug 2, 2017 shows a winding mountain road in Chengjiang town, Du'an Yao autonomous county. [Photo by Lu Bo'an/Xinhua News Agency]