2 | Monday, August 2, 2021 HONG KONG EDITION | CHINA DAILY PAGE TWO Determined villagers embark on new ventures

By SHI JING in Taizhou, Zhejiang [email protected]

Although villages comprise more than 60 percent of the total area of Huangyan dis- trict, Taizhou city, Zhejiang province, pri- vate enterprise is thriving in the area. For example, more than 2,000 mold-mak- ing companies account for 10 percent of the industry’s national output. Zhang Xunqiang took over his family’s mold manufacturing business after gradu- ating from university in 2009. However, due to intense competition in the industry he decided to end the business to set up a ceramics studio in Wuyantou vil- lage, Zhejiang, in 2016. Recognized by the National Cultural Her- itage Administration as an ancient village in 2019, Wuyantou used to be known as an “empty area”. In 2013, up to 90 percent of its 110 cottages were vacant and 30 percent of them were in a state of disrepair. Yang Guiqing, a professor from Tongji A visitor tours an exhibition in Miaojia village, Jiashan county, Jiaxing, Zhejiang province, which showcases residents’ efforts to realize common prosperity. University’s College of Architecture and zhu xingxin / china daily Urban Planning in Shanghai, helped restore the village by leading local overhaul efforts in 2015. As a result, the population of Wuyantou has risen from 300 a decade ago to more than 1,200. Zhang said: “Every single change to the cottages, even just one brick, had to be Zhejiang: Pilot zone plan announced approved by Yang. The village regained its energy with his help. Tourists arriving in cars from neighboring areas during holi- days can now result in a 10-kilometer traffic From page 1 apply this business model in other places, jam.” such as Jiangsu and Fujian provinces,” Tang His ceramics studio, which provides par- “Based on our experience, government said. ent-child activities such as making tradi- policies can be adopted more efficiently tional paper umbrellas, along with outdoor when villagers’ lives are significantly ‘Future communities’ sports, charges 260 yuan a day per person. improved. In other words, villagers have The concept of common prosperity, one of During the peak season, the studio caters to increasing faith in the local government,” whose aims is to reduce the wealth gap 440 visitors. she said. between urban and suburban areas, has also Chen Yuanbin, who started a homestay The progress made in Wubu is just one given rise to the emergence of more smart business in Wuyantou in 2017, has had a example of steps taken by the authorities in and “future communities” in Zhejiang’s similar experience to Zhang. Zhejiang to realize common prosperity. metropolitan and other urban areas. Before starting the new venture, Chen On Feb 25, President Xi Jinping, address- In Hangzhou, the provincial capital and ran a toy export business in downtown ing a gathering to mark the nation’s achieve- hub of the nation’s internet economy, Young ­Taizhou. Born and raised in Wuyantou, he is ments in eradicating poverty and to City (Yangliujun community) in Pengbu, happy to see the revival in his home area. commend outstanding efforts by individu- Shangcheng district, has established a While he still had some clients for toy als, said China upholds a people-centered “future community”. exports, this business came to a complete development philosophy. It unswervingly Such a community, which was mentioned halt last year due to the emergence of the pursues prosperity for all, with the empha- in the provincial government’s report in COVID-19 pandemic. sis on ending poverty, improving people’s 2019, is based on the concept of an urban “Returning to Wuyantou has proved a well-being and realizing common prosperi- development project that aims to make cit- wise decision,” he said. ty being the essential requirements of social- ies more people-oriented, environmentally Yang Kang, deputy director of the Huang- ism. friendly and digital. yan agricultural bureau, said that by work- Xi, also general secretary of the Commu- Zhejiang plans to build some 100 pilot ing with universities villages can be better nist Party of China Central Committee, communities this year and implement the organized. The successful experience in stressed at the gathering the importance of project throughout the province by the end Wuyantou is a good example that can be integrating the consolidation of poverty of next year. promoted nationwide, he said. alleviation achievements and rural vitaliza- Hui Haitao, Party secretary of Pengbu, Cooperation between local governments tion. said: “Yangliujun community is the prov- and universities is one model that has been On June 10, a decision to establish ince’s first transit-oriented development explored in Zhejiang to achieve common ­Zhejiang as a demonstration zone for com- project. The community has a population of prosperity. mon prosperity was announced in a guide- about 11,000, of which the post-1980s gener- Longgang, in the south of the province, line jointly released by the CPC Central ation accounts for 62 percent.” which in August 2019 became the first town Committee and the State Council, China’s As most of the community’s residents are in China to be upgraded to a city, is an exam- Cabinet. young, more attention has been paid to digi- ple of the steps taken to realize a new type of The decision came as the nation works tal governance, education for all ages, a har- urbanization. toward the goal of tackling development monious relationship with neighbors, and Narrowing the wealth gap between cities problems and narrowing the wealth gap improved living standards. and rural areas is key to the upgrading wit- between urban and rural areas after eradi- The community’s smart health station nessed in Longgang, where a centrally cating extreme poverty last year. has built a “cloud consulting clinic” with Sir located government affairs parlor stands as Run Run Shaw Hospital affiliated with Zhe- an example of the urbanization goal. Income target jiang University School of Medicine in Since being launched in October, 23 gov- A plan was released on July 19 by the Zhe- Hangzhou. The clinic enables remote elec- ernment departments have based them- jiang authorities, aimed at building the Top: Mo Xuefeng (right), general manager of Zhejiang Jiashan Chocolate Sweet trocardiograph and ultrasound consulta- selves at the parlor, providing more than province into a pilot zone to achieve com- Town, demonstrates a chocolate waterfall to visitors. Above: A resident of Yao- tions through its 5G network. In addition, it 3,000 services. mon prosperity through high-quality devel- zhuang town, Jiashan county, Zhejiang, has her blood pressure checked at the provides international expert services for A basic company investment project can opment by 2025. local health center. photos by zhu xingxin / china daily expatriates in the community. now be approved within 40 days, compared The plan states that an “olive-shaped Zhong Yinyan, director of the community with 80 days previously. social structure” should be formed in Zhe-­ health service center, said, “We introduced a Jin Mengdu, director of the parlor, said, jiang to make middle-income households To this end, a two-way flow between urban experience to more than 15,000 industry new-version public health center, providing “Providing the most convenient services to the mainstay of the economy. The province and rural areas should be established in Chi- leaders and civil servants from other rural 24-hour self-service checkup services for companies and individuals can make the should strive to become an example of how na. areas. community residents.” business and living environment more to mitigate disparities between regions, “The nation has already invested heavily Chuxin Farm in Hengkantou village, Doctors can establish health records for appealing, which can result in more devel- urban and rural areas, and incomes. to address issues concerning agriculture, ­Yuyao city, eastern Zhejiang, is one example people online, setting up a loop for health opment opportunities.” Annual per capita disposable income in villages and farmers, but we can still see a of successfully combining urban and rural management between residents and physi- Just 12 km from the parlor, the Sanyuan Zhejiang should reach 75,000 yuan by 2025, one-way outflow of resources and people life. With investment from agricultural lead- cians, Zhong said. community is a village in name, but it now while income disparity between urban and from villages. It is our mission to guide more er New Hope Group, the farm officially To form a “mutual assistance” culture bustles like a city. rural residents should be less than 1.9 times, middle-income earners to villages in order opened on July 13, integrating agriculture, among neighbors, the community estab- Relying on the fishing industry in the according to the plan. The province’s urban- to form a two-way flow of urban and rural catering and retailing. lished a volunteer station, attracting stores past, the village has become known for its ization rate should reach 75 percent by 2025, residents,” he said. Tang Shimin, the farm’s general manager, in the area and local residents to provide 20 homestay businesses. In late May, a conven- with the income gap between urban and Such a flow can be seen in Tengtou village, said the complex was built in a rural area to types of services. tion held in Sanyuan attracted more than rural residents kept at a reasonable level, the Ningbo city, eastern Zhejiang, which as ear- attract more young people born in villages One volunteer said, “The station provides 2,000 visitors from elsewhere in Zhejiang plan states. ly as 2010 set a target to make rural life more to return home and revitalize these areas. residents with convenient services anytime, and from Shanghai. According to Yuan Jiajun, Zhejiang’s attractive for urban residents. By introduc- “Urban residents can place orders to cus- anywhere, including free appliance repairs, Chen Zengsheng, director of the Sanyuan ­Party secretary, common prosperity can be ing more than 60 companies to Tengtou, tomize the type of vegetables they wish to clothes-mending and haircutting. Commu- community, said, “Villagers are willing to achieved through a further optimized social green industries such as eco-friendly agri- grow with our help on the 28,000 square nity residents provide the services and stay in their hometown as long as they can structure and a complete social system. culture, landscaping, new energy and new meters of land occupied by the farm. As receive the resources.” find job opportunities here.” High-quality integration between urban materials now comprise 80 percent of the courier services are not accessible every day The community will also establish a “chil- and rural areas through accelerated mod- local annual GDP. in Hengkantou, villagers can store their dren’s council” to encourage children to take ernization of villages, deepened reform in Fu Pingjun, Party secretary of Tengtou, agricultural produce temporarily in our part in public affairs decision-making, with rural areas and the advancement of agricul- said: “A pleasant environment is crucial to freezers and have it delivered later,” Tang the aim of enhancing their sense of owner- ture can improve the quality of life in the prosperity in rural areas. In the 1960s, Teng- said. ship and social responsibility. countryside, he said. tou started to improve soil quality, renovate Watermelons the farm produced with Hu Zhenhua, dean of the School of Busi- “A new type of city-village relationship villagers’ homes and collectively manage local agricultural experts earlier this year ness at Wenzhou University in Zhejiang, said should be established. While complement- farmland. We have successfully turned our sold out within a week via pre-ordering, that on the road to common prosperity it is ing each other, urban and rural areas should village into a garden, which is also one of the although they were priced 30 percent higher vital to enhance residents’ sense of achieve- seek concerted development and common major reasons that we were a showcase at than other such melons on the market. ment and happiness. prosperity,” Yuan added. the 2010 World Expo (in Shanghai).” “By introducing private enterprise, villag- Zheng Yongnian, a professor of politics at Fu said that as prosperity in just one area ers can discover the latest industry trends, Jiang Lai contributed to this story. Tourists learn about traditional cloth the Chinese University of Hong Kong is far from sufficient, a rural vitalization search for talent, seek financial help and dyeing techniques in Wuyantou village, (Shenzhen), said consolidating social bases institute was founded in Tengtou in 2019, technology empowerment. Our successful Contact the writers at Taizhou, Zhejiang. provided to china daily is crucial to achieving common prosperity. which has passed on the village’s successful experience in Hengkantou has enabled us to [email protected]