6 | DISCOVER SHANXI Friday, April 23, 2021 CHINA DAILY Solar power brightens rural Shanxi livelihoods

“They also greatly benefit the envi­ ronment because of their zero emis­ sions.” Located at the east of the Loess Plateau, Shanxi is one of the most favorable locations in China to devel­ op solar power stations because of its access to abundant sunlight. Electricity generation In 2014, the province was selected projects using green by the State Council’s poverty reduc­ tion office and the National Energy technology create Administration as the country’s first jobs and incomes for pilot province in launching a photo­ voltaic industry targeting poverty once­poor villagers alleviation, according to Zhang Linyang, an official at the Shanxi Pov­ By YUAN SHENGGAO erty Alleviation Office. “With the strong support from Wu Qiang, a villager of Erji in Left: The solar farm in Xinyi township, Lishi district, in the city of Lyuliang includes photovoltaic panels installed on the roofs of central authorities, Shanxi has wit­ Daning county, North China’s Shanxi farmhouses that can meet local demand and supply electricity to the rest of Shanxi province. LIU LIANGLIANG / FOR CHINA DAILY Right: Residents nessed rapid growth in the photovol­ province, said “making a fortune in Zhonghe village in Yanggao county can get a per capita revenue of 260 yuan ($40) from the village’s solar panels. LIU TONG / FOR CHINA DAILY taic industry in impoverished areas,” from sunlight” used to sound like a Zhang said. story from Arabian Nights. According to the official, the least­ However, he now works patrolling upon farming infertile lands. ($46,000) to the village,” said Xu cern is the weather every day. They all used to be on the county’s developed counties and villages a solar farm near his home and does To help to lift villagers out of pover­ Yusheng, Party secretary of the vil­ “Sunlight means electricity and least­developed villages list. have been prioritized in the devel­ believe sunlight can generate money. ty, the county government of Daning lage. “The income has played a crucial revenue,” Feng said. “The power sta­ “We have solar power facilities in opment of solar­power facilities. The solar farm, owned and oper­ and the city government of Linfen — role in reducing poverty in Erji.” tion is just like a treasure chest, offer­ all the 53 least­developed villages in “About 43 percent of the poverty ated by the village, consists of which has Daning in its jurisdiction In addition to offering dividends to ing continuous support for poverty Linxian,” Gao said. “A total of 4,997 alleviation solar power stations about 400 photovoltaic panels on — signed an agreement with State villagers, the solar farm and power alleviation.” low­income families have benefited have been built in Shanxi’s 10 least­ 0.2 hectares of land. Electricity Grid in 2013 to launch a solar farm in station has offered jobs. In Linxian county in the city of from such facilities, as these offer div­ developed counties,” Zhang said. generated from the panels is con­ Erji. “The jobs, including safety guards, Lyuliang, there are a number of solar idends, rent and jobs to the resi­ “All the 58 counties that used to be nected to a nearby substation and With a power generation capacity cleaners and maintenance workers, farms and power stations of a much dents.” on Shanxi’s and China’s poverty list then transmitted to a power grid of 100 kilowatts, the solar farm began were mostly created for the low­in­ larger scale. In Zezhou county in Jincheng city, now have poverty­reduction solar that supplies electricity to the construction at the end of that year. come families,” Xu said. In the county’s Baiwen township, there are six village­owned and four power stations.” province. The project was completed and Ma Yue’en, a villager in his 80s, for instance, there is a solar farm cov­ township­owned poverty­alleviation To date, Shanxi has a total of 5,479 In addition to the stable monthly began operating in July 2014. It was is one of the beneficiaries. In addi­ ering more than 80 hectares. solar farms, which benefit 1,042 low­ poverty­alleviation solar power sta­ salary from the solar farm, Wu said the first village­operated solar farm tion to dividends, Ma receives an A poverty­alleviation project, the income families across 68 villages. tions owned and operated by villa­ he, as well as his fellow villagers, and power station in China. elderly subsidy and another for solar farm can generate 44 million Li Jinguo, an official of the county’s ges. Their installed power receives annual dividends. Construction of a second solar buying fertilizer from the village kilowatt­hours of electricity. energy bureau, said the solar power generation capacity totals 2.94 mil­ “All the villagers are stakeholders farm and power station, with a committee. According to Gao Zerong, an offi­ projects bring multiple benefits to lion kW. Net income from these pro­ of the solar farm,” Wu said. “We are capacity of 300 kW, began in 2018. “All the subsidies come from the cial of the Linxian committee of the residents. jects amounted to 1.96 billion yuan getting more dividends as the solar “The operation of the first solar revenues of the solar farm,” Ma said. Communist Party of China, the large “These projects create a stable in 2020, according to Zhang. farm’s profits increase year­by­year.” power station brought an average Feng Guoning, a worker at the solar farm and power station is source of revenue for low­income Erji used to be a village that relied annual net income of 300,000 yuan solar power station, said his top con­ owned and operated by six villages. families for at least 20 years,” Li said. Li Shu contributed to this story.

He said BMW China is deeply New university’s vocational course involved in the content of the class. “In addition to equipment, BMW has designed the curriculum and dispatched teachers to the keeps the wheels turning for BMW class. “Upon the completion of in­cam­ By YUAN SHENGGAO The teacher said BMW China has lenging but rewarding for both stu­ pus training, students will have offered high­tech equipment and a dents and teachers.” internship opportunities in BMW’s The newly established Shanxi number of its latest cars to the Zhang said the course enrolls plants and dealerships in China.” Vocational University of Engineer­ course. One of the latest models is a about a dozen students each year, Zhang said this is a new model of ing Technology, based in Jinzhong fuel­cell hybrid vehicle. according to the requirements of vocational training, which features city, quickly received an order from “To keep up with the new develop­ BMW China. close collaboration between schools BMW China. ment trends of the automobile “This is one of the most popular and enterprises. It was a long­term deal to recruit industry, we have designed lessons but highly demanding courses in According to Zhang Zhushe, Par­ mechanics from the school each for conventional gasoline­powered, our university. Candidates have to ty secretary of Shanxi Vocational A drugstore owner is granted a certificate for selling medicines year. electric and hybrid vehicles,” Zhang pass strict assessments by both the University of Engineering Technol­ and medical equipment by the Jinzhong administrative service The university was founded on said. “To master the skills for the school and BMW before they are ogy, the school has similar innova­ bureau. ZHENG YANBO / FOR CHINA DAILY March 24 after the merger of three maintenance of such models is chal­ admitted to the course,” Zhang said. tions in its curriculum in a variety colleges in the province: the Busi­ of majors. These include civil engi­ ness College of Shanxi University; neering, information technology Shanxi Traffic Vocational and Tech­ and finance. Reforms make business nical College; and Shanxi College of Zhang Mingdong, an official in Architecture. charge of vocational education at As a result, the university inherit­ the Shanxi Department of Educa­ arena easier in province ed a course dedicated to training tion, said the university has set an mechanics for BMW. example in how to train skilled pro­ The course, called BMW intern­ fessionals for the high­quality devel­ By YUAN SHENGGAO things,” the official explained. ship base, is equipped with a variety opment of Shanxi. Taiyuan, the capital city of the of vehicles and testing and mainte­ “Vocational training should close­ Business owners in Shanxi are province; Jinzhong, a city in cen­ nance tools offered by BMW China, ly keep up with the trends of indus­ benefiting from an improved tral Shanxi; and the Shanxi according to Zhang Gengdang, an tries,” the official said. “There business environment in the Transformation and Compre­ associate professor in charge of it. should be innovations in curricu­ wake of the province reforming hensive Reform Demonstration Zhang said BMW China has invest­ lum design and school­enterprise its administrative service and Zone are the three regions pio­ ed in 18 similar internship bases in cooperation to train professionals streamlining approval proce­ neering the reform for adminis­ China. The class, which began in with both solid academic knowl­ dures to raise efficiency in trative services. Shanxi Vocational University of Engi­ Associate Professor Zhang Gengdang teaches students vehicle edge and hands­on skills.” March last year. Lu Guibin, chief of the Jinzhong neering Technology, is the only such maintenance skills at the BMW internship base in Shanxi Vocational Government institutions in administrative service bureau, base in North and Northwest China. University of Engineering Technology. XIE JIE / FOR CHINA DAILY Wu Jia contributed to this story. Shanxi have continued their estimates that the time required reforms in these fields through­ for administrative approval pro­ out March this year by announc­ cedures has been cut down by 85 ing further delegating business­ percent over the past year since approval powers and reducing the reform was launched in the ‘Living fossil’ village features well­preserved fortress the number of certificates need­ city. ed for market access, according “This means a saving of 4 mil­ By YUAN SHENGGAO other three directions. ings, including more than 20 tem­ the constellation of Bi — so that’s why to local officials. lion yuan ($616,000) in opera­ In addition to the city wall, another ples, have made Zhangbi “a living the village is named Zhangbi. Guo Anxin, an official at the tional costs a year for startups in An intact ancient fortress, cen­ important defense facility is a tunnel fossil of ancient villages in North Chi­ Feng shui elements have also been Shanxi Market Regulation Jinzhong,” Lu said. turies­old residences and temples, system with a total length of about 10 na”, Feng Jicai, a renowned contem­ used in the design and construction Bureau, said Shanxi’s current Bai Wenyu, general manager of a layout in accordance with kilometers under the fortress and its porary Chinese writer, once of the village. practice means “a business the Jinzhong branch of Shanxi­ ancient astrology and feng shui vicinity. commented. Feng shui is the ancient Chinese license is all that’s needed to based drugstore chain Guoda and ancient tombs in the vicinity According to researchers, con­ Cultural researchers also dis­ science of studying the environ­ begin operations”. Wanmin, said medicine and — the richness of historical and struction of the tunnel system began covered another secret in this mil­ ment in relation with a residence In the past, business owners medical equipment dealers like cultural resources that a small vil­ in 619 during the Tang Dynasty. It lennium­old village — its layout and people’s fortune. When build­ needed to first obtain various his company are most pleased lage in Shanxi province can offer could provide shelter for more than has been developed according to ing a residence or a settlement, the certificates, including those for with the reform. will surprise even the most sea­ 10,000 soldiers. ancient Chinese astrology and ideal feng shui layout is to have fire safety, sanitation and admis­ “Guoda Wanmin is a fast­ soned tourists and researchers. Since the Jin Dynasty (1115­1234), feng shui theory. mountains and waterways in its sions for the sale of drugs and growing company. We’ve been This village is called Zhangbi and the ancient fortress has become a set­ According to ancient Chinese surroundings. medical equipment before they expanding by adding 100 outlets is located in Jiexiu county in the tlement for civilians. astrology, the universe is composed of According to local residents, the could apply for a business annually in recent years, with center of Shanxi province. It has Today, the settlement that is called 28 constellations governed by various Mianshan Mountain in the south license to start operating. operations covering the entire been rated by the country’s tourism Zhangbi is home to more than 200 deities. and the river valleys on other three The old practice meant that a province. authority as one of the most famous households. The villagers’ residences And the village of Zhangbi was sides not only add to the village and business would spend several “The improved administrative historical and cultural villages in were mostly built during the Ming named after two constellations. fortress’ defensive function but also months applying for certificates efficiency and streamlined China and 4A scenic area. (1368­1644) and Qing (1644­1911) The southern village gate corre­ create an ideal feng shui layout. before they could get a business approval procedures have led to Standing at the center of village is a dynasties. sponds to the constellation of Zhang licence and get their business a substantial decrease in our well­preserved ancient fortress cover­ The great number of ancient build­ and the northern gate corresponds to Peng Ke’er contributed to this story. moving. operational costs,” Bai said. “We ing some 12 hectares. “And now, businesses can are more optimistic about our According to local residents, the begin operation upon acquiring development in the future.” fortress was built in the late Sui The village of Zhangbi is home to a a licence, while other certificates Guo Anxin of the Shanxi Mar­ Dynasty (581­618), when there were number of buildings dating back can be dealt with afterward,” ket Regulation Bureau predicted wars and conflicts lasting for almost a centuries. PENG KE’ER / FOR CHINA DAILY Guo said. there will be a boom in entrepre­ decade. Military forces of the Sui and The official added the number neurship in the years to come the following Tang Dynasty (618­907) of certificates has also been due to the steadily improving were stationed there. reduced as a result of “merging business environment. The fortress is protected by a similar functions into one certif­ “We expect there will be a total 10­meter­high and 1,300­meter­ icate”. of 4.5 million market entities in long city wall, which is still intact “For instance, a drugstore Shanxi by the end of the 14th today after weathering attacks, needed to apply for certificates Five­Year Plan (2021­25), com­ rain, snow and wind for more than for medicine sales, medical pared with about 3 million in 1,400 years. Also adding to its stra­ equipment sales and health food 2020,” Guo said. tegic advantage is that it is sur­ sales in the past. And now it only rounded by high mountain cliffs to needs one certificate for all those Meng Ting contributed to this story. the south and deep valleys in the

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