Dual Gigabit: Connecting Yunnan’s Mountains to the World

Like a pearl resting gently in the clouds, Lancang Lahu Autonomous County can be found hidden in the mountains of southwest Yunnan. The small town of Lancang straddles the border of China and Myanmar, nestled in a landscape characterized by rugged terrain and deep valleys.

Generations of different ethnic groups, such as the Lahu, Wa, and Dai, have called Lancang home. Community life is vibrant, with the sounds of reed flutes and wooden drums echoing through the valleys and ancient trees sweetening the air with their fragrance.

However, like many remote towns, geographical isolation has long hindered Lancang’s development: It is hard to reach and remains largely unknown to the outside world.

Lancang Lahu Autonomous County, deep in the mountains of southwestern Yunnan, China.

Promoting balanced development in remote areas has long been a focus in China, with digital infrastructure and technologies forming the core foundation of rural revitalization. In Lancang County, a cross-sector partnership between China Telecom, Huawei, and Youcheng Entrepreneurs Rural Development Foundation is leveraging dual-gigabit networks and digital platforms to enable high-quality educational resources, open up markets for local industries, and expand digital skills.

Breaking barriers to education

At present, more than 2 million rural teachers in China form the heart of rural education. They are not just providers of knowledge; they are also guides who help countless children from remote areas see beyond the isolation of the mountains. However, with this heavy responsibility comes challenges. A lack of infrastructure and limited access to technology makes it difficult to retain teachers in rural areas, let alone enable them to teach effectively.

Wengban Village Primary School in the mountains of Lancang, Yunnan Province

Today, digital technologies are transforming the situation in Langcang. With policies such as universal telecommunications, signal enhancement, and broadband development in remote areas, China Telecom has been building dual-gigabit networks in Lancang, providing stable and reliable connectivity for the entire county.

In 2020, Huawei Cloud WeLink joined the Green Pepper Project (Qingjiao Plan). Initiated by Youcheng Entrepreneurship Foundation for Rural Development and with Beijing Normal University providing technical support, the project provides a systematic one-year training program for young rural teachers across China. Each year, tens of thousands of teachers participate in the program to improve their teaching capabilities.

The WeLink platform delivers a wide range of online training courses for rural teachers, with dedicated communities organized by region and subject. Teachers can communicate with experts and seek advice anytime.

In the past, when teaching science classes, I could only use chalk drawings on the blackboard, which was dull and abstract. I also had little exposure to advanced teaching methods, and was afraid that I might mislead the children. It was difficult to access high-quality systematic training before. Now, I can follow lectures by professors from Beijing Normal University using my phone or computer. My teaching skills have improved, and my classes are more engaging.Zhao Huiqin,
Teacher and Green Pepper Project participant

Teacher Zhao Huiqin from Lancang County teaches students using multimedia equipment

Early one morning, Class 1 of Grade 4 in Lanchang County saw more than 40 students focused on a large screen. With smooth Internet connectivity and the Huawei Cloud WeLink platform, the children joined their peers from five primary schools in Jilin and Hunan provinces for a shared lesson on exploring AI.

Dr. Shi Qiquan, an AI expert from Huawei, used the analogy "data is the food of the digital age" to explain complex concepts. Naduo, a Lahu girl, raised her hand to speak, "I hope AI can understand the Lahu language and help my grandmother sell the herbs we collect in the mountains to places far away."

In May 2025, rural teachers and students in Lancang, Yunnan, joined peers from across China in a shared AI lesson

In Lancang County, the Green Pepper Project has reached dozens of primary and secondary schools, providing training for more than 600 rural teachers and benefiting over 5,000 students. Digital technologies and infrastructure, including connectivity and cloud services, are bridging the urban-rural education divide, making quality educational resources easily accessible to rural schools.

With the support of project partners and China’s telecommunications policies, the Green Pepper Project had covered 27 provincial-level administrative regions, 882 districts and counties, more than 60,000 schools, and nearly 180,000 rural teachers across China. The total number of rural students directly and indirectly benefiting from the program has exceeded 10 million.

At the 2026 Mobile World Congress (MWC26) in Barcelona, the Green Pepper Project (Qingjiao Plan in Lancang County) was awarded the Global Mobile (GLOMO) Award for Best Mobile Innovation for Enhancing the Lives of Children and Young People under the TECH4GOOD category.

At the MWC2026 GLOMO Awards Ceremony

Submitted by China Telecom, China Social Entrepreneurs Foundation (CSEF), and Huawei, the award recognizes the strengths and impact of the project on young lives.

Revitalizing the tea industry

The Millennium Tea Forest on Lancang’s Jingmai Mountain

With a rich historical heritage of producing Pu'er tea, Jingmai Mountain is isolated and has poor transportation infrastructure, making it difficult for tea farmers to sell their products. Previously, most tea was sold through merchants who purchased directly from tea gardens. Small-scale farmers found it hard to find buyers outside the mountain area. Today, the Internet is connecting the mountains to the rest of the world. Tea farmers can use live streaming and short videos to show the tea cultivation process, from picking to processing.

Lancang Nuogan Ancient Village tea farmers introduce their tea cakes on livestream

In the past, our village didn’t make much money. Tea merchants worked with large tea plantations, making it difficult for small farmers to sell their tea. Now things are different. Customers can see our tea-gardens and production techniques online. Every household can now start live streaming, greatly improving incomes and living standards.Dong Chun,
Tea farmer from Nuodan Ancient Village, Lancang

Connectivity makes every village visible

From the curious eyes of school children to confident tea farmers selling their products through their phones, the changes in Lancang showcases how digital technology can drive balanced development between urban and rural areas.

With partners like Huawei, China Telecom continues to build information highways through connectivity, creating bridges that connect remote mountainous regions with the world and revitalize rural areas.