Abstract: Consolidating poverty alleviation achievements and preventing large-scale relapse into poverty remain critical tasks in advancing the Western Development Strategy and common prosperity. Based on national statistical data and relevant research literature, this study analyzes the relapse risks and stability of poverty alleviation outcomes in western China. Findings indicate that rural low-income households in western regions experience sluggish income growth, with a poverty relapse rate of approximately 20% among formerly impoverished populations—exceeding 40% in ecologically fragile areas—revealing significant instability and vulnerability. Factors including scarce natural resources, weak human capital, insufficient household asset accumulation, intensified employment pressures, and policy dependency collectively undermine sustainable poverty alleviation efforts. To address these challenges, it is imperative to enhance relapse prevention monitoring systems and support coordination mechanisms, strengthen farmer-oriented industrial collaboration frameworks, promote stable employment for poverty-alleviated populations, establish conditional transfer payment systems, boost endogenous development momentum, and resolutely safeguard against large-scale poverty relapse.

Key words: western region, population lifted out of poverty, stable poverty alleviation