Poverty problem is very common and serious in the west of China where human development level is very low, and poverty of income, poverty of knowledge and poverty of human ability coexist After solving the problem of adequate food and clothing at the end of the last century, there are still some new problems in poverty alleviation in the west of China, such as how to eliminate poverty steadily, how to overcome backward human resources development problem, and overload tax and fees on farmers, etc On the basis of studying the poverty characteristics and some new problems in poverty mitigation in western China, this paper raises some new policies and suggestions for shaking off poverty strategy in the 21st century The basic tentative plan for poverty stricken area's development objectives implemented at three stages was proposed too, i e , 2001～2005, achieving stable poverty elimination,2005～2010,creating various conditions for achieving comparatively well off and 2010～2030, making most of the poverty stricken farmers's living standards to approach to or achieve comparatively well-off It also suggested that poverty alleviation measures should be taken to turn human resources investment as the dominant factor from material investment gradually As the central government has put forward a series of policies for the great development of the western areas, it needs to combine eliminating poverty plan with these polices closely, which will be much effective in implementing poverty ridding of plans in China