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Communication across Borders: Translation & Interpreting; Vol. 05 No. 01 (2025) 
ISSN (online): 2766-791X 
ISSN (print):    2770-6354  

 

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Research on the Translation and Dissemination Strategies of China’s Poverty 
Alleviation Discourse: A Digital-Data Approach 

 
Junchao WANG1; Chengcheng LI2 

1. Journal Department of GDUFS, Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, E-mail: 201510091@oamail.gdufs.edu.cn  
Doi.org/10.1075/babel.00370.wan 

2. School of Interpreting & Translation Studies, Guangdong University of Foreign Studies 
 
Abstract: Since 1949, China has continuously advanced poverty alleviation efforts. General Secretary Xi Jinping announced 
that China has completed the goals of poverty eradication in the new era as scheduled, achieving remarkable achievements 
that have attracted worldwide attention. This not only represents a great achievement of human civilization but also is crucial 
for China’s foreign communication and the construction of its international image. In the current era of profound changes, 
constructing an external discourse system for poverty alleviation is of great significance in breaking Western discourse 
hegemony. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party, theories and practices of poverty alleviation have 
continued to innovate, with the media playing a key role. However, there are still cognitive limitations and misunderstandings 
among overseas audiences regarding China’s poverty alleviation efforts. In view of this, this paper constructs a database of 
poverty alleviation discourse written by Xi Jinping from the perspectives of international communication and foreign 
translation, and adopts the “Digital-data” approach. The aim is to provide a digital and intelligent pathway for China’s external 
promotion of poverty alleviation discourse, thereby contributing to global poverty reduction as well as enhancing China’s 
cultural soft power and international discourse power. 
Keywords: China’s poverty alleviation discourse, international communication, translation strategies, discourse database, 
Digital-data Theory 
 
1. Introduction   
Since the founding of P.R.C., the country has consistently carried out poverty alleviation and eradication efforts. General 
Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that after eight years of persistent efforts, China has achieved the poverty alleviation goals 
of the new era as scheduled. Under the current standards, all rural impoverished populations have been lifted out of poverty, 
all impoverished counties have removed their poverty labels, absolute poverty and regional overall poverty have been 
eliminated, and nearly 100 million people have escaped poverty, securing a major victory that has drawn worldwide 
admiration. China’s poverty alleviation is not only a monumental achievement in the history of human civilization but also a 
key element in China’s international communication and the construction of its global image. Amid unprecedented changes 
in a century, building an international discourse system for China’s poverty alleviation has become a crucial breakthrough in 
deconstructing the Western discourse hegemony of the “China threat theory”, holding significant practical and theoretical 
implications (Hu, 2022). Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, China’s poverty alleviation 
efforts have entered the phase of targeted poverty eradication, with continuous advancements in theoretical and practical 
innovations. This highlights the pivotal role of poverty alleviation in the decisive battle to build a moderately prosperous 
society in all respects and signals a transformation in poverty research and intervention models (Huang & Yuan, 2018).   
The media has played a vital role in poverty alleviation, and delivering effective poverty alleviation reporting is an essential 
requirement for enhancing international discourse power (Zhang & Zhou, 2018). The coverage by mainstream local media 
across the country has profound significance for the progress of poverty alleviation. Analyzing their journalistic practices, 
discourse characteristics, and problems provides guiding insights for optimizing all poverty alleviation reporting (Jing, 2019). 
China’s remarkable achievements in poverty alleviation have attracted global attention, yet overseas audiences still harbor 
numerous cognitive limitations and misunderstandings about China’s poverty alleviation story (Luo & Zhou, 2020). 
Therefore, from the perspective of international communication and translation, this study constructs a self-built database of 
Xi Jinping’s discourse on China’s poverty alleviation, employs “digital-data” approach (Wang, 2024; Wang & Li, 2024), and 
thereby proposes a digital-intelligent pathway for the international promotion of China’s poverty alleviation discourse. This 
not only offers a Chinese solution to global poverty reduction but also contributes to enhancing China’s cultural soft power 
and international discourse influence.   
2. Literature Review 



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2.1 Domestic Literature Review 
Since the theme of “poverty alleviation” first appeared in Chinese academic research in 1985, the construction and 
development of China’s poverty alleviation discourse system have undergone four decades of refinement and accumulation, 
forming a multidimensional, cross-disciplinary research and dissemination framework. According to existing statistics, there 
have been 29,046 related research outputs domestically, showing a year-by-year growth trend (see Figure 1). This system not 
only encompasses multiple dimensions such as national poverty alleviation narratives, political discourse, documentaries, 
short films, films and television productions, literary works, news reports, ideological courses, academic research, and 
international topics, but also constitutes a vital component of China’s governance philosophy, exerting profound influence on 
poverty reduction efforts both within China and globally. 

 
Figure 1. Trends in Academic Research on China’s Poverty Alleviation Discourse (1985-2024) 

We will now provide a brief review from multiple dimensions, including theoretical research on China’s poverty alleviation, 
studies on national poverty reduction topics or narratives of poverty-alleviated nations, literary works on poverty alleviation 
themes, analyses of films and documentaries, examinations of domestic and international news reports, as well as research on 
curriculum-based ideological education and international relations related to poverty alleviation. 
(1) Research on the Ontology of Poverty Alleviation Theory 
In the ontological research of poverty alleviation theories, scholars have explored the theoretical foundations and practical 
pathways of China’s poverty eradication from various perspectives. For instance, Hu (2022) examined the construction, 
components, and approaches of China’s poverty alleviation discourse system for international audiences. Liu and Jiang (2021) 
focused on governance in daily life, proposing a theoretical paradigm and practical pathway for intervening in the poverty 
trap faced by households that have escaped poverty. Similarly, Zhang (2007) investigated the historical trajectory of China’s 
poverty alleviation and development efforts from 1949 to 2005. While these studies provide theoretical support for 
understanding the underlying logic of China’s poverty alleviation policies, research on how to effectively communicate these 
theories to the international community from a translation and communication perspective remains insufficient. 
(2) Research on national poverty alleviation topics, political documents, or narratives of poverty-alleviated countries 
At the national narrative level of poverty alleviation, Xi (2021) emphasized that “poverty alleviation is not the end goal” and 
proposed a series of poverty alleviation strategies (see our established database for details). Wang (2021) explored the 
perceptions and implications of African ambassadors in China regarding China’s poverty alleviation achievements. These 
studies analyze China’s poverty alleviation efforts from political and policy perspectives, but from the viewpoint of translation 
and communication studies, research on how to enhance international understanding and recognition of China’s poverty 
alleviation policies through external communication translation strategies remains relatively scarce. 
(3) Literary Works on Poverty Alleviation Themes   
The literary community has actively engaged in creating novels, poems, and other works centered on poverty alleviation, 
including “Chronicles of Bailizhou: A Firsthand Account of Poverty Eradication” by Zhu Chaomin, “Pipa Village” by Wen 
Yanxia, “The Nation’s Warmth: My Field Surveys from 2019 to 2020” by Jiang Wei, “Eighteen Stories from Shibadong 
Village” by Li Di, and “The Lofty Yuangu Dui” by Qin Ling. Zhao (2024) analyzed the literary portrayal of poverty alleviation 
in Liang Xiaosheng’s “Pastoral Ode”, while Yue (2023) explored the characterization and literary origins in novels on poverty 
alleviation themes. These studies reflect the social impact of poverty alleviation from a literary perspective, but research on 
how to convey China’s poverty alleviation stories through translated literary works and international publicity remains 
insufficient.   



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(4) Analysis of Documentaries and Short Films   
In recent years, poverty alleviation has become a prominent theme in documentaries, short videos, and other audiovisual 
works. Examples include “Eradicating Poverty”, “Our Poverty Alleviation Stories in 2020”, “Monument: Xinjiang’s Poverty 
Alleviation Records”, and “Farewell to Poverty”, produced under the guidance of the Central Propaganda Department and 
China Media Group. “China’s War on Poverty”, a collaborative effort by the State Council’s Poverty Alleviation Office, 
CGTN, the Kuhn Foundation, and PBS Southern California, provides a comprehensive overview of China’s “targeted poverty 
alleviation and eradication” strategy. These works vividly document and showcase China’s remarkable journey and 
achievements in poverty alleviation through diverse perspectives and narrative techniques. In this regard, Wu and Zhang 
(2024) examined the representation of China’s national image in the new era through poverty alleviation documentaries, while 
Zhao (2023) analyzed the visual rhetorical strategies of “telling China’s stories well” using the short film “A Poverty 
Alleviation Story in a Cup of Coffee”. These studies highlight the significance of audiovisual works in shaping and 
disseminating national image, but further exploration is needed on how to enhance their international influence through 
translation and cross-cultural communication strategies. 
(5) Analysis of Relevant News Reports from China and Abroad 
In the analysis of Chinese and foreign news reports, Huang and Zhang (2022) conducted a critical discourse analysis of 
poverty alleviation and eradication coverage in mainstream Western and Chinese media based on corpus data. Yu (2024) 
examined the use of reporting verbs in news reports on “targeted poverty alleviation”. These studies provide comparative 
perspectives on media coverage, but from the standpoint of translation and communication studies, research on how to 
optimize such reports to enhance international communication effectiveness remains insufficiently explored. 
(6) Research on Poverty Alleviation in Ideological and Political Education or International Relations 
In the context of ideological and political education and international relations research, Teng (2022) explored the integration 
of the spirit of poverty alleviation into ideological and political courses in higher education, while Lu and Chen (2022) 
analyzed poverty alleviation from the perspective of global governance. These studies offer new insights into poverty 
alleviation education and international cooperation. However, from the perspective of translation and communication studies, 
there is significant room for development in research on how to disseminate China’s poverty alleviation experience through 
educational and international cooperation platforms. 
2.2 Review of International Research Trends 
Research on “poverty” is quite extensive internationally. According to incomplete statistics, it covers numerous languages 
and regions, including English (85,362 articles), Korean (167 articles), Spanish (148 articles), French (118 articles), Turkish 
(108 articles), Japanese (93 articles), Portuguese (78 articles), Russian (68 articles), Polish (51 articles), German (50 articles), 
Arabic (42 articles), Croatian (33 articles), Afrikaans (29 articles), and more. One of the earliest monographs on the subject 
is Krauth’s “Poverty”, published in 1858. Between 1800 and 1950, a total of 1,068 monographs discussed the ontology of 
“poverty” and its relationships with waste, resources, development, wealth disparity, education, population, war, regions, 
stability, and other factors. Among these early studies, some focused on the theme of “poverty alleviation”, such as classic 
works like “The Destruction of Poverty” (Robinson, 1898), “Poverty and Dependency” (Gillin, 1926), “The Abolition of 
Poverty” (Hollander, 1914), and “Prohibiting Poverty” (Martin, 1933).   
One of the earlier studies on China is “Population, Poverty And Prosperity: China’s Environmental Woes” (Russell, 1989), 
which analyzed the relationship between population, poverty, development, and the environment. Related works were 
published later, such as “Poverty Issues and Policies in China” (Tong, 1991), “China: From Afforestation to Poverty 
Alleviation and Natural Forest Management” (Rozelle, Huang, Husain & Zazueta, 2000), “Roads Improvement for Poverty 
Alleviation in China" (Hajj & Pendakur, 2000), and "China: Overcoming Rural Poverty” (World Bank, 2001). 
Since international institutions raised the issue of “poverty alleviation in China” in the early 21st century, global research on 
this topic has become more focused. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) China Office (2003) analyzed 
the relationship between poverty alleviation in China and microfinance. International studies have continued to adopt 
multidimensional analytical perspectives, such as the links between poverty alleviation and the environment (Groom et al., 
2010), poverty and water resources (Cohen & Sullivan, 2010), poverty alleviation and property rights (Webster, Wu, Zhang 
& Sarkar, 2016), poverty alleviation and social security (Hammond, 2019), and poverty alleviation and health (Muttaqin, 
2024). On the other hand, much of the research employs quantitative empirical methods. For instance, Duclos, Araar & Giles 
(2010) measured and estimated chronic and transient poverty in China; Cohen & Sullivan (2010) developed a 
multidimensional assessment tool to evaluate the relationship between water resources and poverty in rural China; Sullivan 
(2011) further analyzed the impact of risk, time, and poverty on China’s forest tenure reform; Meng (2013) used regression 



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discontinuity methods to assess China’s poverty alleviation programs; Ward (2016) empirically analyzed transient poverty, 
poverty dynamics, and vulnerability in rural China; Westmore (2018) and Gustafsson & Sai (2023) both employed 
comparative data analysis to examine China’s poverty reduction efforts. Additionally, research on China’s poverty alleviation 
campaign has expanded into multidimensional studies, such as Bakre & Dorasamy (2023) exploring the lessons of China’s 
poverty alleviation for rural development in South Africa; Liu, Du, and Liu (2024) conducting a multimodal analysis of 
posters related to China’s poverty alleviation efforts; and Muttaqin (2024) examining the health impacts of China’s poverty 
alleviation campaign on rural populations from a medical perspective, among others. 
Overall, existing research in China has covered theoretical discussions on poverty alleviation, analyses of films and television 
works, comparisons of news reports, studies on national issues, literary representations, as well as ideological education in 
curricula and international relations. However, most studies focus on domestic perspectives and practices. From the 
perspective of translation and communication studies, how to effectively convey China’s successful experiences and stories 
of poverty alleviation to the international community, and how to shape a positive image of China on the global stage, remains 
a research gap that urgently needs to be addressed. Future research could pay more attention to cross-cultural communication 
strategies, techniques for international publicity translation, and communication mechanisms in international cooperation, to 
enhance the global dissemination and influence of China’s poverty alleviation discourse. 
3. Linguistic Features of Chinese Economic Discourse and Translation Strategies 
By collecting Chinese and English corpus on the theme of poverty alleviation from Xi Jinping: The Governance of China 
(Volumes I to IV), we have established a poverty alleviation discourse corpus, which includes 10 key articles. Using this 
thematic data as the corpus, the following will provide a digital-data analysis of China’s poverty alleviation discourse. 
3.1 Keywords in Poverty Alleviation Discourse 
In the era of big data, with the help of powerful text analysis tools, we can conduct comprehensive and systematic visual 
analysis of China’s poverty alleviation discourse database. The total number of characters in the Chinese and English poverty 
alleviation-themed articles from Volumes I to IV are 14,587 and 20,530, respectively. The keywords are shown in Table 1. 
Table 1. High-Frequency Content Words in Chinese and English Databases 

Chinese Corpus English Corpus 
r Rank Word Freq. r Rank Word Freq. 
1  250 1 poverty 3092 
2  229 2 areas 769 
3  158 3 alleviation 754 
4  144 4 impoverished 595 
5  124 5 should 571 
6  110 6 must 448 
7  96 7 development 444 
8  81 8 rural 407 
9  79 9 people 362 
10  68 10 poor 350 
11  67 11 party 348 
12  66 12 cpc 338 
13  63 13 targeted 274 
14  62 14 fight 261 
15  61 15 central 223 
16  59 16 villages 203 
17  54 17 have 200 
18  54 18 elimination 199 
19  49 19 prosperous 198 
20  48 20 moderately 197 
21  46 21 ensure 175 
22  46 22 measures 175 
23  44 23 china 171 



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24  44 24 officials 161 
25  44 25 prosperity 159 
26  43 26 stricken 159 
27  42 27 chinese 156 
28  41 28 respects 147 
29  40 29 society 145 
30  39 30 problems 142 

 
By using online word frequency analysis tools, we can obtain a visual representation of high-frequency words, making the 
topics of the target text immediately clear (https://www.weiciyun.com/). This visualization aligns closely with Table 1, 
showing that the high-frequency substantive words in China’s poverty alleviation discourse include: poverty alleviation, 
poverty, poverty relief, tackling tough issues, development, and so on. 

 
Figure 1. Visualization of High-Frequency Words in China’s Poverty Alleviation Discourse 

3.2 Rhetorical Features of China’s Poverty Alleviation Discourse and Translation Strategies for Foreign Audiences 
Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at 
its core has placed poverty alleviation in a prominent position in state governance, promoting the implementation of targeted 
poverty alleviation strategies and mobilizing efforts to win the unprecedented battle against poverty in human history. China, 
home to nearly one-fifth of the world’s population, has completely eradicated absolute poverty, achieving the poverty 
reduction target of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development a decade ahead of schedule, making 
significant contributions to global poverty reduction and human development. Xi Jinping: The Governance of China 
comprehensively presents the governance philosophy and strategies of the central leadership, with its poverty alleviation-
themed literature serving as a condensed response to the issue of poverty reduction. The discourse on poverty alleviation is 
characterized by its literary and philosophical qualities, as well as its rich empirical insights into China’s economic 
development. Due to space constraints, this study focuses on identifying metaphorical expressions within the poverty 
alleviation discourse from the database and employs AI to compare and analyze translations by professional human translators 
and AI-generated versions, exploring how technology can better serve the international dissemination of China’s poverty 
alleviation discourse in the AI era. 
(1) Key terms in China’s poverty alleviation discourse: poverty alleviation 



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The narrative of poverty alleviation and eradication is an overlay of political and economic issues such as rural development, 
a moderately prosperous society, rural revitalization, and the community with a shared future for mankind. It is a long-term 
news agenda aligned with the national social security system and social assistance (Yang, 2023). At its core, however, the 
discourse on poverty eradication revolves around efforts to combat poverty. Metaphor is one of the commonly used rhetorical 
devices in China’s poverty alleviation discourse (Zeng, 2022), as it vividly conveys the essence of poverty relief policies and 
development philosophies, making them more persuasive and engaging. By analyzing databases, it becomes evident that 
metaphors are extensively employed in China’s poverty alleviation discourse to explain specific policy measures, including 
“poverty eradication” (a campaign), “policies” (flood irrigation, targeted treatment, precision drip irrigation, targeted therapy, 
taking root, staggered advancement, flipping pancakes), “standards” (weights and measures, appetite), “work style 
construction” (tightening the institutional cage), “cadres” (those who act get positions, those who endure hardship gain favor), 
“outstanding issues” (leaving no dead ends, filling the gaps), and “railways" (accelerators). 

 
Figure 2. Keywords in China’s Poverty Alleviation Discourse: A Visual Representation of Poverty Eradication 

In the Chinese database spanning Volumes 1 to 4, the term “poverty alleviation” appears 250 times, while “poverty” occurs 
430 times in the English database. Across the four volumes, the frequencies are 9, 148, 115, and 158 times respectively, 
showing a relatively even distribution in poverty alleviation discourse articles. Through further analysis of its contextual 
collocations, we can identify several common structures: 

 Noun phrases: poverty alleviation, poverty elimination, the fight against poverty, the battle against poverty, wars on 
poverty, poverty-stricken areas, poverty alleviation and development, etc.; 

 Preposition + poverty: against poverty, out of poverty, etc.; 
 Verb + poverty: break away from ..., leap from ..., emerge from ..., escape from ..., rise from ..., etc.; 

  



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Figure 3. The Concordance Plot for the Keyword “poverty alleviation” 

(2) The Conceptual Metaphor Network of Poverty Alleviation   
Cognitive linguist Lakoff’s conceptual metaphor theory posits that metaphor is not merely a rhetorical device but a reflection 
of the conceptual system in human language. At its core, metaphor involves using a concrete concept (the source domain) as 
a reference to understand and interpret another, more abstract or less directly graspable concept (the target domain). This 
process constitutes a mapping from one cognitive domain to another, embodying human thought patterns. China’s discourse 
on poverty alleviation is rich in metaphorical expressions, employing vivid and figurative language to describe and explain 
specific policy measures for poverty eradication. By closely examining the 430 contexts in which “poverty” appears in the 
database, we can derive the conceptual metaphor set for the “poverty alleviation” discourse: ∑AGAINST POVERTY IS X = 
{AGAINST POVERTY IS MAKING GOLD. AGAINST POVERTY IS RUNNING. AGAINST POVERTY IS BATTLE. 
AGAINST POVERTY IS VOYAGE. AGAINST POVERTY IS TAKING WING. ...}   
 

Figure 4. The Conceptual Metaphor Net 
(2) Metaphorical Expressions of Poverty Alleviation   
In China’s discourse on poverty alleviation, there exist both conceptual metaphors shared by Chinese and English, as well as 
unique mapping relationships specific to the Chinese context. 
Source text 1: (Volume 1) 
Source text 1 Romanized: Zhǐ yào yǒu xìn xīn, huáng tǔ biàn chéng jīn. 
Target Text 1: With confidence, even barren clay can be turned into gold. 
AI Deepseek: With strong faith, even the barren soil can turn into gold. 
AIPE: With strong faith, even the barren soil can be turned into gold. 



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The original text primarily discusses helping people in revolutionary base areas and impoverished regions overcome poverty 
and achieve prosperity. Both versions effectively capture the metaphor of poverty alleviation. Since humans are the agents of 
poverty alleviation, the subject of this sentence is implied. In English, passive voice is often used in such cases, making the 
official translation's voice more appropriate. However, the AI version conveys a more resolute tone, which can also reflect 
the difficulty of poverty alleviation in reverse. 
 

Source text 2: (Volume 2) 
Source text 2 Romanized: Tuō pín gong jiān zhàn de chōng fēng hào yǐ jīng chuī xiǎng. 
Target Text 2: We have sounded a clarion call in the battle against poverty. 
AI Deepseek: The clarion call for the battle against poverty has been sounded. 
AIPE: The clarion call for the battle against poverty has been sounded. 
The use of the metaphor “poverty alleviation is a battle” here helps readers better understand the importance the Party and the 
state attach to this matter. Both the official and AI translations effectively preserve the original metaphorical treatment, with 
the only difference being that the official version uses the pronoun “we” as the subject. English articles typically avoid first-
person pronouns to maintain objectivity, so the AI version aligns better with English expression norms and requires no 
modifications. 
 
Source text 3: “ ” “ ” “ ”

(Volume 2) 
Source text 3 Romanized: Wǒ zài Fú jiàn Níng dé gong zuò shí jiù jiǎng “ruò niǎo xiān fēi”, jiù shì shuō pín kùn dì qū pín 

kùn qún zhòng shǒu xiān yào yǒu “fēi” de yì shí hé “xiān fēi” de xíng dòng. 
Target Text 3: When I worked in Ningde, Fujian Province, I told the locals a folktale titled A Weak Bird Takes Flight Early. 

My intention was to explain to them that the area and the people should do two things – first, “take wing” and then “leave 
the nest”. 

AI Deepseek: When I was working in Ningde, Fujian, I often mentioned that “the weaker bird must fly first,” which means 
that impoverished areas and people must first have the consciousness to "take flight" and the initiative to “fly ahead.” 

AIPE: When I worked in Ningde, Fujian, I told the locals a folktale titled A Weak Bird Takes Flight Early, and the purpose 
was to explain to them that in order to escape poverty, the area and the people must first “take flight” and then “leave 
the nest”. 

The original sentence is based on the story of “The slow (or clumsy) bird must fly early,” using “fly” as a metaphor for the 
requirements of poverty alleviation. It suggests that while the state provides external support, the “wings” are their own. Since 
impoverished individuals lack innate advantages, they must rely on acquired efforts to prosper. The official translation uses 
“take wing,” which originally means “to take off,” here metaphorically representing “to begin development.” Similarly, “leave 
the nest” carries a comparable meaning, effectively replicating the metaphorical sense of the original. In contrast, the AI 
version is confusing and unclear. Moreover, the speaker is emphasizing the principle of “the slow bird must fly early” in the 
present context, not recalling a past “emphasis,” so the past continuous tense is unnecessary. Therefore, the AI’s translation 
has been revised accordingly. 
 

Source text 4: “ ”
(Volume 3) 

Source text 4 Romanized: Bù gǎo dà shuǐ màn guàn, bù gǎo “shǒu liú dàn zhà tiào zao”, yīn cūn yīn hù yīn rén shīcè, duì 
zhèng xià yào, jīng zhǔn dī guàn, bǎ xiàng zhì liáo, fú pín fú dào diǎn shàng fú dào gēn shàng.   

Target Text 4: We do not spray preferential policies indiscriminately or “kill fleas with a hand-grenade”. Instead, we adopt 
targeted measures for different villages, households and individuals according to their specific conditions, so that we can 
address the root causes of poverty. 

AI Deepseek: We will not employ a one-size-fits-all approach, nor will we use a sledgehammer to crack a nut. Instead, we 
will tailor our measures to the specific conditions of each village, household, and individual, ensuring targeted and 
precise interventions. Our poverty alleviation efforts will be focused on the root causes and key areas, delivering 
assistance where it is most needed and effective. 

AIPE: We do not spray preferential policies indiscriminately or use a sledgehammer to crack a nut. Instead, we tailor our 
measures to the specific conditions of each village, household, and individual, ensuring targeted and precise 
interventions. In a word, assistance is delivered where it is most needed and effective. 



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The paragraph containing this sentence summarizes poverty alleviation practices, so the future tense is unnecessary. It can be 
observed that both versions retain the metaphor only in the first half, with the official translation handling the expression 
“flood irrigation” more vividly. Additionally, the official version is more concise than the AI's. Based on this, the AI's 
translation was edited to produce the post-edited version. 

 

Source text 5: (Volume 4) 
Source text 5 Romanized: Duì tuō pín xiàn yào fú shàng mǎ sòng yī chéng, shè lì guò dù qī, bǎo chí zhǔ yào bang fú zhèng 

cè zǒng tǐ wěn dìng. 
Target Text 5: To buttress counties that have emerged from poverty, we will institute a transition period during which the 

main poverty alleviation support policies will generally remain in place. 
AI Deepseek: For counties that have emerged from poverty, we will provide continued support to ensure a smooth transition. 

We will establish a transitional period during which the main assistance policies will remain generally stable, helping 
them to firmly establish their footing and move forward steadily. 

AIPE: For counties that have emerged from poverty, we will give them a leg up. We will establish a transitional period during 
which the main assistance policies will remain generally stable, helping them to firmly establish their footing and move 
forward steadily. 

The phrase “ ” in the original text means that elders should provide comprehensive assistance during the growth 
of younger generations. Both translation versions have somewhat lost the original metaphorical meaning. Compared to the 
official translation, the AI version is slightly repetitive but clearer in conveying the meaning at the end. Through conversations 
with AI and consulting electronic dictionaries, it was found that “ ” can be expressed in English with the 
relatively close phrase “give someone a leg up”, which means helping someone get started or providing initial support. This 
phrase also aligns with the literal meaning of mounting a horse in reality, making it suitable for further revisions of the 
translation. 
4. Conclusion  
As a key component of China’s political discourse, the discourse on poverty alleviation is critically linked to the effectiveness 
of its international communication and the quality of its foreign translation. These factors are deeply intertwined with the 
construction of China’s international discourse power and the shaping of its global image. This study innovatively integrates 
theories from translation studies, communication studies, and political science, employing a digital-data approach facilitated 
by digital intelligence. Through systematic collection of Chinese and English corpus data centered on poverty alleviation 
from Xi Jinping: The Governance of China (Volumes 1–4), the research successfully assembles a specialized corpus of 
poverty alleviation discourse and accurately extracts key thematic keywords. 
Poverty alleviation discourse not only embodies distinctive literary charm and profound philosophical insights but also vividly 
encapsulates China’s valuable economic development experiences. Due to space limitations, this study primarily focuses on 
the metaphorical expressions within the corpus. Additionally, by leveraging AI technologies, it conducts in-depth comparative 
analyses between translations produced by professional human translators and AI-generated translations. This endeavor aims 
to explore how, in the era of artificial intelligence, technological advancements can be harnessed to provide more high-quality 
and efficient support for the international dissemination of China's poverty alleviation discourse. 
Finally, with ongoing technological progress and continuous scholarly inquiry, it is anticipated that the research scope will 
expand further to explore the deeper connotations and strategic dissemination of poverty alleviation discourse. Such efforts 
will help to promote the grand achievements and valuable experiences of China’s poverty alleviation campaign on the 
international stage more broadly and profoundly, thereby contributing stronger Chinese wisdom and strength to the global 
poverty reduction initiatives. 
Acknowledgement: This paper was funded by Guangdong Province Philosophy and Social Science Foundation Project 
“The Evolution of Translation, Publication, and International Communication Models of Chinese Political Discourse” 

 (1952-2022) (Grant No. GD24CWY10); Key Project of the Higher 
Education Journals Working Committee of the Guangdong Higher Education Society: “Reconstruction of Academic Journal 
Evaluation System Using Digital Intelligence Technologies” (Grant No. 
20240105).  
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