A moving account of China's poverty alleviation

Another person who was impressed by what she saw is Chen Yinan, the documentary's director.

Despite being Chinese and not unfamiliar with her nation's poverty alleviation efforts, the deep dive into the topic proved to be an eye-opener nonetheless.

"It was a very fulfilling experience. I'm impressed by some of the facts we learned. For example, I didn't know that there is such a wide range of conditions to consider before we can say someone is in the extreme poverty category," says Chen.

"As shown in the documentary, efforts have been made by all sectors of society and not just the government," she adds. "From enterprises to ordinary people, everyone played a part. To be able to lift so many people out of extreme poverty, even during the pandemic, is an astounding feat."

When asked what he would say to critics who doubt the authenticity of the facts presented in the documentary, Anderson, who has lived in China for the past 16 years, has just three words: come to China.

"I guarantee that many of those who doubt the successes of China have never been here before," he says.

"All I have to say to them is that they should come and experience China for themselves. This is the only way they can make an objective assessment. Before they doubt something, they have to understand what they're doubting."