Abstract: Rural industrial revitalization in poverty-stricken areas has fallen into a dilemma in balancing policy support which, on the one hand should be strengthened in considering the weak industrial base, but on the other, easily dispels the endogenous motivation once not given improperly. Such a hard nut renders what kind of policy tools should be adopted an issue worthwhile to be discussed in depth. This paper, through policy text analysis and case study, finds that 1) China's practice in promoting rural industry revitalization in poverty-stricken areas exhibits the logic of “adaptive endeavor”. In other words, a “policy toolbox” featured with inclusiveness that aims at activating various elements has been created in policy design, and a practice of selecting and combining policy tools according to problem situations and tool attributes has been formed in practice, thus exerting the systematic driving effect of policy tools. As “adaptive endeavor” works under some conditions, to promote the revitalization of rural industries in poverty-stricken areas, the governments concerned, with such a logic, should strengthen their capacity for governance, and scientifically grasp the internal and external environment and mission objectives of rural industrial development, and render the design and use of policy tools more inclusive, restrained, targeted, integrated and developed.

Key words: policy tools, adaptive endeavor, rural industry revitalization, poverty-stricken areas