199 1 In early spring, China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation and Yunnan Zhaotong Cigarette Factory held a grand donation ceremony at Diaoyutai State Guesthouse. Xiang Nan, president of China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation, solemnly received a donation check of100000 yuan from Sun Yusheng, director of Zhaotong Cigarette Factory. Ke Hua, vice president of China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation, who was China's ambassador plenipotentiary to Britain, is still a diplomat. He stepped onto the platform and delivered the shortest speech I have ever heard in Cantonese: "Smoking is bad for your health. I advise you not to smoke. But smoking is good for poverty alleviation. So, if you want to smoke, please smoke the Diaoyutai brand! " The short speech won the prolonged applause from the venue. This applause is not only a heartfelt response to Ke Lao's witty remarks, but also a sincere thanks to Zhaotong Cigarette Factory for its strong support to the China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation.

At the beginning of the foundation, it was supported by the tobacco industry. Xiamen Huamei Cigarette Factory in Fujian, Puning Cigarette Factory in Guangdong, etc. They all donated a lot of money to the China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation. Among them, several presidents, vice presidents and directors of our association, such as Markey and Liu Weican, contributed greatly.

Yunnan is rich in tobacco leaves, and one cigarette factory after another not only supports the livelihood of tobacco farmers, but also supports local finance. A brand-name cigarette can bring great wealth to the local area. Zhaotong Cigarette Factory wanted to create such a famous brand, so it applied to China Tobacco Company for approval to produce first-class brand cigarettes. Diaoyutai is a state guesthouse. If the cigarette is named after Diaoyutai, and this kind of cigarette only appears at the commodity counter of Diaoyutai State Guesthouse and the dining table of the state banquet in the Great Hall of the People, its natural value is extraordinary. Ke Hua, vice president of the Foundation, found the person in charge of his old friend State Guesthouse and mobilized and persuaded the State Guesthouse to contribute the name "Diaoyutai" as a cigarette brand to poverty alleviation. Director Markey also used his influence to promote the recognition of "Diaoyutai" brand cigarette brand. The next question is, how much can Zhaotong cigarette factory contribute to poverty alleviation?

One day, two vice presidents of the Foundation, He Zai and Li Jing, came to Zhaotong Cigarette Factory. The factory leaders met two respected old comrades who came from Beijing and gave them a warm reception. Old comrades suggested that the Foundation should come forward to strive for a first-class cigarette brand for Zhaotong Cigarette Factory, and also asked the cigarette factory to consider how to make some contributions to supporting poverty alleviation. The factory gave a banquet to welcome the old comrades and arranged a visit for them, but it didn't give a positive answer. Seeing that the old comrades live in peace, the factory arranged for the old comrades to visit the surrounding poor areas. As the days went by, all the places where we could go were gone, and all the food and drinks were invited, but the old comrades still didn't mean to leave. How can we mobilize old comrades to go home? So, the factory director once again gave a farewell dinner for the old comrades. The meaning is clear, but this is an expulsion order! However, old comrades still live and don't go. This time, the director couldn't sit still. He called a meeting to study and decided to donate100000 yuan to the China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation.

Since then, only one donation meeting has been held at Diaoyutai State Guesthouse, and "Diaoyutai" brand cigarettes have been produced.

Reference: My Poverty Alleviation Course (8), the magazine of China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation.

Walker