China poverty alleviation, raising standard of living

[HariPrasad]

When a big country like china progresses rapidly, poverty will always come down. However, if it is done with a focus to empower poor and with a focus to generate employment, the poverty can be eliminated faster. Chinese one to two generation has worked very hard and so they deserve a better living standard relatively free from poverty enjoying all public amenities.

 

[TaiShang]

Kiwifruit wine is set to become Guizhou’s next big export

By Morag Hobbs (People's Daily Online) 11:04, August 11, 2018

The kiwifruit are local to the area and grow on 80,000 acres of farmland. (Photos/Courtesy of Yang Zhengyu)

Guizhou is famous for its clean air, stunning countryside and agriculture.

Another thing that Guizhou is well-known for is its alcohol. The province is the largest producer of Baijiu in the country, with its most famous brand, Moutai, becoming the world’s most valuable liquor company in 2017 according to the Financial Times.

However, thanks to government investment in the province’s agricultural industry, there’s a new front runner in Guizhou’s liquor cabinet, and it’s much sweeter!

The company, Cool City Minihong, has a range of products that are FDA approved.

Local brand, Cool City Minihong, is now using locally-grown red kiwifruits to create a new type of wine in a variety of strengths 6%, 12% and 14%. It’s sweet, crisp and has a tangy aftertaste reminding you that this isn’t your usual grape variety of wine.

The company is using poverty alleviation methods to create more jobs, helping more locals gain employment and escape poverty. Yang Zhengyu, the commercial manager in the company’s international trade department, said, “Our company has about 300 employees. We now own a standard red kiwifruit planting base of more than 80,000 acres, and all bases are involved in the "Three Changes Reform", directly spurring poor breadwinners to increase their average monthly income to more than 3,500 yuan.”

The 80,000 acres of farmland has given locals more job opportunities in the area.

The company went into production in 2014, and has already exported to Canada, selling almost 500,000 bottles in the last year alone. This year, it will start exporting to Japan, Russia and the U.S.

Yang says that the wine is healthier than baijiu as the fruit is locally grown, fresh and full of health benefits, not to mention it’s less likely to give you a headache the next day. He adds that after Maotai, this is only the second liquor enterprise in Guizhou to pass U.S. FDA certification, meaning more people will get to enjoy the fresh taste of kiwifruit wine soon!

The special red kiwifruit, which is grown locally, has a red ‘heart’ which means it looks beautiful as well as tasting delicious.

http://en.people.cn/n3/2018/0811/c90000-9489907.html

 

[+4vsgorillas-Apebane]

Kiwifruit wine is set to become Guizhou’s next big export

By Morag Hobbs (People's Daily Online) 11:04, August 11, 2018

The kiwifruit are local to the area and grow on 80,000 acres of farmland. (Photos/Courtesy of Yang Zhengyu)

Guizhou is famous for its clean air, stunning countryside and agriculture.

Another thing that Guizhou is well-known for is its alcohol. The province is the largest producer of Baijiu in the country, with its most famous brand, Moutai, becoming the world’s most valuable liquor company in 2017 according to the Financial Times.

However, thanks to government investment in the province’s agricultural industry, there’s a new front runner in Guizhou’s liquor cabinet, and it’s much sweeter!

The company, Cool City Minihong, has a range of products that are FDA approved.

Local brand, Cool City Minihong, is now using locally-grown red kiwifruits to create a new type of wine in a variety of strengths 6%, 12% and 14%. It’s sweet, crisp and has a tangy aftertaste reminding you that this isn’t your usual grape variety of wine.

The company is using poverty alleviation methods to create more jobs, helping more locals gain employment and escape poverty. Yang Zhengyu, the commercial manager in the company’s international trade department, said, “Our company has about 300 employees. We now own a standard red kiwifruit planting base of more than 80,000 acres, and all bases are involved in the "Three Changes Reform", directly spurring poor breadwinners to increase their average monthly income to more than 3,500 yuan.”

The 80,000 acres of farmland has given locals more job opportunities in the area.

The company went into production in 2014, and has already exported to Canada, selling almost 500,000 bottles in the last year alone. This year, it will start exporting to Japan, Russia and the U.S.

Yang says that the wine is healthier than baijiu as the fruit is locally grown, fresh and full of health benefits, not to mention it’s less likely to give you a headache the next day. He adds that after Maotai, this is only the second liquor enterprise in Guizhou to pass U.S. FDA certification, meaning more people will get to enjoy the fresh taste of kiwifruit wine soon!

The special red kiwifruit, which is grown locally, has a red ‘heart’ which means it looks beautiful as well as tasting delicious.

http://en.people.cn/n3/2018/0811/c90000-9489907.html

Its ridiculous that a Chinese government newspaper refer to the Chinese gooseberry as 'Kiwifruit'. I hope more money is made by re rebranding the 'Kiwifruit' back to its Chinese roots.

 

[JSCh]

China, Africa will strengthen poverty relief exchanges
By LI LEI | China Daily | Updated: 2018-08-15 07:24

Chinese and African students released doves together in Beijing. [Photo/VCG]

China will help African countries train more young talent in poverty relief as part of its effort to strength exchanges under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative, a senior official said on Tuesday.

The country will continue to hold training sessions on poverty reduction tailored to African countries, and will innovate in training methods to ensure the effort delivers real benefits, according to Liu Yongfu, director of the State Council Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development.

"China and African countries have accumulated rich experience in self-development and poverty reduction. China is willing to strengthen exchanges with African countries to benefit both parties," he said.

Liu was speaking at the opening ceremony of the Poverty Reduction and Development Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation 2018 in Beijing on Tuesday.

Present were government officials, scholars and entrepreneurs from 40 African countries and officials from international organizations. The discussions focused on opportunities created by the Belt and Road Initiative in poverty alleviation cooperation between China and Africa.

Liu said training for young professionals is crucial.

"By 2025, Africa will be home to 200 million young people aged between 15 and 24, and a quarter of the world's population aged below 25 will be from Africa," he said. "Every year, 10 million Africans join the workforce."

China has held 133 poverty reduction seminars and shared its experience with 3,587 poverty reduction practitioners from 133 countries and regions, including 2,122 representatives from 52 countries in Africa, Liu said.

China also will conduct research with Africa in the sector and help carry out successful projects, he said.

The Belt and Road Initiative－proposed by President Xi Jinping in 2013－has contributed a great deal to the poverty reduction exchanges, Liu said.

"African countries are not only the natural extension of the Belt and Road, but also important participants in the initiative," he said, adding it can inject strong momentum into Africa's industrialization, urbanization and agricultural modernization.

Josefa Leonel Correia Sacko, commissioner for rural economy and agriculture of the African Union, said at the opening ceremony that the agricultural sector has great potential for China-Africa cooperation.

She said that despite vast arable land and a growing workforce, low agricultural productivity has been hampering the continent's development, contributing to poverty.

"Africa is eager to learn from China in agriculture and natural resources management, and cooperation in the sector is of mutual benefit," she said.

She said investments in and partnerships with African research institutes and universities will accelerate agricultural transformation at country and regional levels.

China has reduced extreme poverty by more than two-thirds over the past five years, officials said. It has pledged to eradicate extreme poverty in China by the end of 2020.

 

[JSCh]

How China’s solution to poverty can be applied to Africa
By Zhao Yuheng
2018-08-18 21:26 GMT+8

China has just hosted a field trip for delegates from African countries attending the China-Africa Poverty Reduction and Development Conference from Aug. 15 to 17. The trip took them to what was previously an impoverished region in the country.

Nestled deep in Wumeng Mountain of southwest China’s Guizhou Province, Bijie used to be one of the poorest regions in China. Thirty years ago, many farmers in far off mountain villages only made a few hundred yuan a year, often worrying about their next meal.

But life for farmers such as Zhou Xiaojun has gone through a complete overhaul through China's massive poverty alleviation campaign.

"My family used to only make a few thousand yuan a year. We used to live in a house built with asbestos. The village had no plumbing or paved road. When it rained, the house leaked, and the road would get so muddy that I had to wear water boots," Zhou told CGTN.

Then Zhou got the opportunity to move to a new house in Xingfu Second Village, a new village built by Evergrande Group, a major real estate company in China. The company also built greenhouses, factories, and even a breeding farm for purebred Angus cattle.

Once-impoverished farmers work in this breeding farm for purebred Angus cattle. /CGTN Photo

Now Zhou works in the greenhouses at a five-minute walk from his home, and enjoys all the public services he needs. One of the walls in his house is even filled with commendations for his daughter's work at school.

"Now I make 30,000 yuan a year. There are also schools for my kids and a clinic nearby," said Zhou.

The scheme in Bijie isn’t very complicated and is applied widely to other parts of China: first, a major enterprise builds the houses for the impoverished to be relocated to, as well as farms and factories to provide them with employment, so the villagers can live in their new homes sustainably. Then more companies come in to run the farms and factories. The local government works as a middleman, distributing houses and jobs, and mediating any conflicts that arise.

This is China's solution to poverty, but delegates from Africa touring the projects believe that the country’s experience is transferable to the continent.

"What is important is the adaptation of concept and model," said Nonofo Ezekiel Molephi, a minister from Botswana. "Every country can identify and find their own programs to deal with poverty at the level of their own communities. For me, all the experiences in China are adaptable and can be used across the globe."

Chuanyan Cun was another village that used to suffer from poverty and natural disasters, such as mudslides due to overexploitation of the land. Guizhou is the only province in China without arable flatland, so locals had previously tried to claim forest in the mountains and turn them into farms.

Local government attempted a more sustainable and profitable way of development, turning the farms back into forest and cultivating "under-the-forest" agriculture, that is, intercropping traditional Chinese medicine and edible fungus in the forest. The average income of local villagers increased by a factor of 45 from 1987, to 9280 yuan a year.

CGTN Photo

Kwati Candith Mashego-Dlamini, South Africa’s deputy minister of rural development, believes that her country and China share many similarities in terms of natural resources and environment, so what works for Chuanyan Cun might also work for South Africa.

"What we are seeing here is that there is forest, but there are also activities happening under the forest. There are agriculture and tea planting," said Mashego-Dlamini. "I think intercropping is working very well here. I really feel we can take this idea and take it home to South Africa."

However, many issues still impede African countries from lifting its people out of poverty, such as insufficient technological development.

In an interview with CGTN, Emmanuel Freddie Mugunda, Uganda’s deputy minister of science and technological innovation, told us that "Uganda is a very large producer of banana, but we lack the proper technology for post-harvest handling."

He added, "All we do is cut the banana and it falls to the ground and gets patches. When we export it, it won't get a good price. So, you need to produce it at a large scale, but you also need the technology to manage the post-harvest handling."

 

[JSCh]

China releases guideline on winning battle against poverty
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-19 21:14:58|Editor: Mu Xuequan


BEIJING, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- China released a guideline Sunday on winning the battle against poverty in the next three years to prepare the nation for eradicating poverty by 2020.

It is an arduous task to lift a further 30 million people out of poverty in the next three years, said the guideline released by the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the State Council.

The guideline reiterates the country's target of lifting all rural poor and impoverished counties out of poverty and eliminating absolute poverty by 2020 to build a moderately prosperous society.

Poor population should be guaranteed food and clothing and children from poor families should be guaranteed nine-year compulsory education. Basic medical needs and living conditions of poor population should also be guaranteed, according to the guideline.

The guideline said poverty relief work should be focused on areas in deep poverty, such as Tibet, mountainous Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture in Sichuan Province and Nujiang Lisu Autonomous Prefecture in Yunnan Province.

Targeted poverty relief work is stressed in the guideline with emphasis on fostering distinctive industries, supporting employment, advancing relocation, ecological restoration and strengthening education.

The guideline also lists other poverty alleviation measures, including accelerating infrastructure construction in poor areas, increasing fiscal and financial support, social mobilization, strengthening and improving Party leadership in poverty reduction.

 

[JSCh]

China working on long-term poverty relief strategy
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-20 19:39:20|Editor: Chengcheng


BEIJING, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- China's campaign against poverty will not come to an end in 2020, as the country is working on a long-term strategy for poverty reduction, an official said Monday.

"To become a moderately prosperous society in all respects by 2020, our biggest area of weakness lies in rural areas, especially the poor people in rural areas," Han Jun, deputy director of the office of the central agricultural work leading group, said at a press conference.

On Sunday, Chinese authorities unveiled a guideline on winning the battle against poverty by 2020.

In the past 5 years, China brought 68.53 million people out of poverty. Between 2018 and 2020, but the country still needs to lift around 30 million people out of poverty.

"We aim to solve the problem of absolute poverty by 2020. To solve the problem of comparative poverty, efforts must be made throughout China's modernization process," Han said.

The new guideline said that China should step up plans for its poverty reduction strategy for the years after 2020. "We are currently working in this respect," Han said.

Among the annual average of 13.7 million people brought out of poverty, the amount who fall back into poverty is "not very large," according to Ou Qingping, deputy director of the State Council Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development.

The amounts for 2016 and 2017 were just around 600,000 and 200,000, respectively, Ou said, adding that China would provide timely support to such groups to ensure that no one is left behind by 2020.

 

[TaiShang]

A green path to wealth: ecological economy booms in Chinese villages

By Kou Jie, Liu Ning (People's Daily Online) 09:02, August 21, 2018


A luxuriant hamlet compactly nestled among the towering mountains, Yucun village in Zhejiang Province is a striking combination of carved valleys, fireworm-lit ponds, cozy farmhouses and toothsome cuisine. With a population of 1,060, the village is carpeted with azalea blossoms, with fast-flowing rivers and scattered guesthouses adding strokes and splashes to the natural canvas.

Yucun Village landscape. [Photo: People's Daily Online/Kou Jie]

Showcasing ecological tourism, the rural town has attracted over 400,000 visitors from home and abroad, with a GDP of 277.6 million RMB ($40.3 million) in 2017. While visiting this idyllic oasis, tourists would seldom imagine that Yucun village, charming in every aspect, was once a severely polluted and barren land. Abundant in minerals, the village used to be a cluster of cement plants and dusty quarries, which constantly contaminated the already tainted environment.

“Over a decade ago, the gray sky was like a murky dome, suffocating the villagers’ hope for a better life. The quarries, oozing filthy water, mired our desire for greenery. Though the local mining industry provided us a decent income and job opportunities, it also ruined our environment,” said Mou Boting, a 24-year-old villager.

The miserable situation started to improve in 2003, when the local government decided to shut down the quarries, shifting its development focus to ecological tourism. The move was praised by Chinese President Xi Jinping, the then Communist Party chief of Zhejiang Province, who visited Yucun Village and proposed the critical “Two Mountains” theory in 2005, calling clear waters and lush mountains invaluable assets, comparable to the gold and silver of legend.

A stela standing at the heart of Yucun Village, on which the “Two Mountains” theory is inscribed: "Lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets." [Photo: People's Daily Online/Kou Jie]

“When the quarries were shut down, the residents were unsatisfied as many of them had lost their jobs, while the village’s annual income dropped from over 3 million to 200,000 RMB. However, the government financially supported the villagers to establish family farms and guest houses, helping them realize that only sustainable development can lead to true wealth,” said Mou.

The “Two Mountains” theory has encouraged other rural areas to improve their living environment, as well as to push towards a green economic transition. By the end of 2017, 27,000 villages in Zhejiang province have been renovated and reconstructed, accounting for 97 percent of the total.

Villages steeped in greenery

Fifteen years after the local government embarked on its journey to green development, Yucun Village has flourished as a renowned natural resort. Bamboo groves meander through the old mine slopes, while birds chirp from beneath the shade of water lilies. Countless visitors have come here to explore the secret of nature’s revival.

“The secret is to steep economic development in clear waters and lush mountains. The money we have earned from mines is now being invested in environmental protection, and this decision will benefit not only us but also nature and our children,” said Mou.

Located 248 kilometers from Yuncun Village, Tengtou Village in Zhejiang province is another pioneer in environmental protection. Tengtou, which possesses neither resource endowment nor industrial advantage, boasts decorative flowers and plants, as well as environmental protection technologies. In 1993, the United Nations granted the village a Global 500 Award for Environmental Achievement, generating a frenzy of eco-tourism in the region.

Tourists can board this little train to experience Tengtou Village's virescence projects. [Photo: People's Daily Online/Kou Jie]

“Beautiful nature is a contributing factor to our economic boom. The better our environment is, the more tourists, companies, and talents are attracted here. Unlike some rural areas that sacrifice nature for short-term interest, we are selling greenery and the concept of natural harmony to earn a better life,” said Fu Demin, director of Tengtou Village Environmental Protection Committee.

The green economy has benefited the village greatly. According to statistics, Tengtou conducted business worth 30 million RMB in 2008 by providing plants and flowers for the Beijing Olympic Games, while in 2010, it provided 100,000 tree seedlings for the Shanghai Expo. The village’s well-protected environment has also attracted visitors worldwide. In 1999, it became the first village in China to sell tickets to visitors, with its annual tourism revenue reaching 131 million RMB in 2017.

To further protect the natural environment, local authorities in Tengtou Village established China’s first village-level environmental protection committee in 1993, selecting both villagers and professionals as its members. The committee is responsible for evaluating whether an enterprise could potentially jeopardize the local environment, as well as arranging environmental protection tours for locals.

“We will not allow any business that may contaminate our environment to enter the village. We have also arranged tours for local entrepreneurs to places like Singapore to study new environmental protection technologies, as well as to polluted regions in north China, to learn from their failures,” added Fu.

In Fu’s office, advanced equipment which monitors air quality has caught our eye. According to Fu, the village invested 10 million RMB to build the country’s first village-level PM 2.5 monitoring station that can detect 96 air quality objectives, with its local PM 2.5 index updating every minute.

The mild sunlight penetrates the glass doors of the monitoring station, gliding over the PM 2.5 readings displayed on the equipment screens. 27-32, it is an index that indicates superb air quality, and a number that makes every villager proud.

A sustainable path to wealth

Though both have chosen a sustainable path to wealth, Yucun and Tengtou have found different development plans to suit their situation. For Yucun Village, agritainment has become a pillar of the local economy. According to statistics, the village now has three scenic spots and 14 guesthouses containing a total of 410 beds.

Every day, over 100 tourists stay in Pan Wenge’s guesthouse, tasting the green tea and dried bamboo shoots grown by local farmers. Opened the rural homestay ten years ago, Pan now has an annual income of one million RMB.

“By selling our beautiful scenery and high-quality service, as of 2015, the 280 households living in Yucun Village had 192 private cars, while 58 of them had villas in the countryside and apartments in the nearby cities,” Pan told Zhejiang Daily.

Orchards and fishponds have also been built for urban residents who want to escape the crowds and enjoy the rural tranquility. Hu Jiaxing, the owner of 50 rubber dinghies, started a rafting business, which can attract as many as 10,000 visitors per year, creating an income of over 2.2 million RMB.

Tengtou Village has pushed the eco-tourism industry even further. After 20 years, the village committee has decided to scrap the village entrance fee from 2019, as well as making the decision to rebuild old tourist sites into cultural and food streets.

“Since many villages are now developing ecological tourism, the competition has become fierce. Our ticket income has dropped significantly in recent years thus we need to upgrade our eco-economy innovatively,” said Lin Chenhui, assistant president of Tengtou Group co., Ltd.

According to Lin, the new cultural and food streets will be built using wasted materials and broken seashells. The streets will boost traditional Chinese architecture and delicious local food, and will also harbor several relocated ancestral houses, which will become cultural heritage museums.

In addition to upgrading eco-tourism, more entertainment options and infrastructures have been installed in Tengtou Village to attract new residents and business. The village committee has established an eco-nursing home for the elderly, charging only 1,500 RMB per month, offering the lodgers daily tours around their natural haven. A farm zoo will also be opened in the future, allowing urban children to learn about animals.

Xu Jianyun, a 63-year-old bird trainer, was hired by the local authorities to demonstrate his pigeon-summoning tricks in 2017. Gathering the birds with a single whistle, the animal lover told us that he wants more people, especially those who live in cities, to feel the harmony between animals and humans so that people can better respect nature.

63-year-old bird trainer Xu Jianyun can summon hundreds of pigeons at will.

“As the urban economy slows, many urban residents may want to come back to the countryside. We want to create a better environment and more job opportunities for those people, as doing so can also boost our economy and reverse the brain drain in our villages,” Lin added.

According to China’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, 5.7 million people have moved from cities to the countryside to start a business in the last few years, while Tengtou Village, which has only 800 villagers, now is home to an external population of over 4,000.

“We welcome people to work and live in our villages. When they decide to return to their hometowns, they can bring the concept of environmental protection back home, helping us spread the greenery even further,” said Fu.

http://en.people.cn/n3/2018/0821/c90000-9492617.html

***

A 1000+ population extremely remote village generating a 277.6 million RMB ($40.3 million) GDP in one year (2017)？

This is not crazy only in China.

@Raphael , @+4vsgorillas-Apebane , @JSCh , @AndrewJin , @oprih , @Cybernetics , @bbccdd1470

 

[+4vsgorillas-Apebane]

A green path to wealth: ecological economy booms in Chinese villages

By Kou Jie, Liu Ning (People's Daily Online) 09:02, August 21, 2018


A luxuriant hamlet compactly nestled among the towering mountains, Yucun village in Zhejiang Province is a striking combination of carved valleys, fireworm-lit ponds, cozy farmhouses and toothsome cuisine. With a population of 1,060, the village is carpeted with azalea blossoms, with fast-flowing rivers and scattered guesthouses adding strokes and splashes to the natural canvas.

Yucun Village landscape. [Photo: People's Daily Online/Kou Jie]

Showcasing ecological tourism, the rural town has attracted over 400,000 visitors from home and abroad, with a GDP of 277.6 million RMB ($40.3 million) in 2017. While visiting this idyllic oasis, tourists would seldom imagine that Yucun village, charming in every aspect, was once a severely polluted and barren land. Abundant in minerals, the village used to be a cluster of cement plants and dusty quarries, which constantly contaminated the already tainted environment.

“Over a decade ago, the gray sky was like a murky dome, suffocating the villagers’ hope for a better life. The quarries, oozing filthy water, mired our desire for greenery. Though the local mining industry provided us a decent income and job opportunities, it also ruined our environment,” said Mou Boting, a 24-year-old villager.

The miserable situation started to improve in 2003, when the local government decided to shut down the quarries, shifting its development focus to ecological tourism. The move was praised by Chinese President Xi Jinping, the then Communist Party chief of Zhejiang Province, who visited Yucun Village and proposed the critical “Two Mountains” theory in 2005, calling clear waters and lush mountains invaluable assets, comparable to the gold and silver of legend.

A stela standing at the heart of Yucun Village, on which the “Two Mountains” theory is inscribed: "Lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets." [Photo: People's Daily Online/Kou Jie]

“When the quarries were shut down, the residents were unsatisfied as many of them had lost their jobs, while the village’s annual income dropped from over 3 million to 200,000 RMB. However, the government financially supported the villagers to establish family farms and guest houses, helping them realize that only sustainable development can lead to true wealth,” said Mou.

The “Two Mountains” theory has encouraged other rural areas to improve their living environment, as well as to push towards a green economic transition. By the end of 2017, 27,000 villages in Zhejiang province have been renovated and reconstructed, accounting for 97 percent of the total.

Villages steeped in greenery

Fifteen years after the local government embarked on its journey to green development, Yucun Village has flourished as a renowned natural resort. Bamboo groves meander through the old mine slopes, while birds chirp from beneath the shade of water lilies. Countless visitors have come here to explore the secret of nature’s revival.

“The secret is to steep economic development in clear waters and lush mountains. The money we have earned from mines is now being invested in environmental protection, and this decision will benefit not only us but also nature and our children,” said Mou.

Located 248 kilometers from Yuncun Village, Tengtou Village in Zhejiang province is another pioneer in environmental protection. Tengtou, which possesses neither resource endowment nor industrial advantage, boasts decorative flowers and plants, as well as environmental protection technologies. In 1993, the United Nations granted the village a Global 500 Award for Environmental Achievement, generating a frenzy of eco-tourism in the region.

Tourists can board this little train to experience Tengtou Village's virescence projects. [Photo: People's Daily Online/Kou Jie]

“Beautiful nature is a contributing factor to our economic boom. The better our environment is, the more tourists, companies, and talents are attracted here. Unlike some rural areas that sacrifice nature for short-term interest, we are selling greenery and the concept of natural harmony to earn a better life,” said Fu Demin, director of Tengtou Village Environmental Protection Committee.

The green economy has benefited the village greatly. According to statistics, Tengtou conducted business worth 30 million RMB in 2008 by providing plants and flowers for the Beijing Olympic Games, while in 2010, it provided 100,000 tree seedlings for the Shanghai Expo. The village’s well-protected environment has also attracted visitors worldwide. In 1999, it became the first village in China to sell tickets to visitors, with its annual tourism revenue reaching 131 million RMB in 2017.

To further protect the natural environment, local authorities in Tengtou Village established China’s first village-level environmental protection committee in 1993, selecting both villagers and professionals as its members. The committee is responsible for evaluating whether an enterprise could potentially jeopardize the local environment, as well as arranging environmental protection tours for locals.

“We will not allow any business that may contaminate our environment to enter the village. We have also arranged tours for local entrepreneurs to places like Singapore to study new environmental protection technologies, as well as to polluted regions in north China, to learn from their failures,” added Fu.

In Fu’s office, advanced equipment which monitors air quality has caught our eye. According to Fu, the village invested 10 million RMB to build the country’s first village-level PM 2.5 monitoring station that can detect 96 air quality objectives, with its local PM 2.5 index updating every minute.

The mild sunlight penetrates the glass doors of the monitoring station, gliding over the PM 2.5 readings displayed on the equipment screens. 27-32, it is an index that indicates superb air quality, and a number that makes every villager proud.

A sustainable path to wealth

Though both have chosen a sustainable path to wealth, Yucun and Tengtou have found different development plans to suit their situation. For Yucun Village, agritainment has become a pillar of the local economy. According to statistics, the village now has three scenic spots and 14 guesthouses containing a total of 410 beds.

Every day, over 100 tourists stay in Pan Wenge’s guesthouse, tasting the green tea and dried bamboo shoots grown by local farmers. Opened the rural homestay ten years ago, Pan now has an annual income of one million RMB.

“By selling our beautiful scenery and high-quality service, as of 2015, the 280 households living in Yucun Village had 192 private cars, while 58 of them had villas in the countryside and apartments in the nearby cities,” Pan told Zhejiang Daily.

Orchards and fishponds have also been built for urban residents who want to escape the crowds and enjoy the rural tranquility. Hu Jiaxing, the owner of 50 rubber dinghies, started a rafting business, which can attract as many as 10,000 visitors per year, creating an income of over 2.2 million RMB.

Tengtou Village has pushed the eco-tourism industry even further. After 20 years, the village committee has decided to scrap the village entrance fee from 2019, as well as making the decision to rebuild old tourist sites into cultural and food streets.

“Since many villages are now developing ecological tourism, the competition has become fierce. Our ticket income has dropped significantly in recent years thus we need to upgrade our eco-economy innovatively,” said Lin Chenhui, assistant president of Tengtou Group co., Ltd.

According to Lin, the new cultural and food streets will be built using wasted materials and broken seashells. The streets will boost traditional Chinese architecture and delicious local food, and will also harbor several relocated ancestral houses, which will become cultural heritage museums.

In addition to upgrading eco-tourism, more entertainment options and infrastructures have been installed in Tengtou Village to attract new residents and business. The village committee has established an eco-nursing home for the elderly, charging only 1,500 RMB per month, offering the lodgers daily tours around their natural haven. A farm zoo will also be opened in the future, allowing urban children to learn about animals.

Xu Jianyun, a 63-year-old bird trainer, was hired by the local authorities to demonstrate his pigeon-summoning tricks in 2017. Gathering the birds with a single whistle, the animal lover told us that he wants more people, especially those who live in cities, to feel the harmony between animals and humans so that people can better respect nature.

63-year-old bird trainer Xu Jianyun can summon hundreds of pigeons at will.

“As the urban economy slows, many urban residents may want to come back to the countryside. We want to create a better environment and more job opportunities for those people, as doing so can also boost our economy and reverse the brain drain in our villages,” Lin added.

According to China’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, 5.7 million people have moved from cities to the countryside to start a business in the last few years, while Tengtou Village, which has only 800 villagers, now is home to an external population of over 4,000.

“We welcome people to work and live in our villages. When they decide to return to their hometowns, they can bring the concept of environmental protection back home, helping us spread the greenery even further,” said Fu.

http://en.people.cn/n3/2018/0821/c90000-9492617.html

***

A 1000+ population extremely remote village generating a 277.6 million RMB ($40.3 million) GDP in one year (2017)？

This is not crazy only in China.

@Raphael , @+4vsgorillas-Apebane , @JSCh , @AndrewJin , @oprih , @Cybernetics , @bbccdd1470

An excellent turn of events!

The economy has reached a point where more money can be made from pristine environment compared to polluting industries.

One way to further improve the viability and profitability of these environmental enterprises is to increase tourism within the country instead of having so many people travel to Japan and France.

 

[JSCh]

Tsinghua professor donates life savings to help poor students
By Chen Ziyan | chinadaily.com.cn | Updated: 2018-08-29 13:34

File photo shows Zhao Jiahe is teaching a class. [Photo/People's Daily]​

The story of a retired Tsinghua University professor who anonymously donated his life savings to poor students, despite being diagnosed with terminal lung cancer, has moved many people.

Zhao Jiahe, a retired finance professor of Tsinghua University, had devoted his life to education and funding impoverished students. He donated his life savings of 15 million yuan ($2.2 million) to support over 2,000 high school students in need across the country.

He began teaching at Tsinghua University in 1955, after graduating from the school's department of radio electronics. "I love teaching. The happiest thing for me is for others to understand what I have taught," Zhao once said.

In 1985, he helped establish the school of Economics and Management at Tsinghua University.

Apart from his dedication to work, Zhao was mostly known for being thrifty. He had worn a synthetic-fiber sweater, worth only $1, for more than 10 years, and the most expensive piece of furniture in his home was an outdated TV.

Even when he served as a guest professor at the University of Texas in 2001, Zhao still lived a simple life and never wasted anything. After three years of teaching abroad, Zhao declined favorable offers from the university and went back to China.

File photo shows Zhao Jiahe and his wife. [Photo/Xinhua]​

The first thing he did after his return was to hand over the $200,000 he had saved to his students specialized in financial investment. When his savings had reached 5 million yuan in 2006, the 72-year-old Zhao started aiding poor high school students from all over the country. He would donate the money anonymously under the name of "a retired Tsinghua professor", an effort known only to a few people around him.

In 2011, Zhao became diagnosed with advanced lung cancer, but he continued to donate his money to support the poor students, and choose to buy himself the least expensive medicines for treatment.

He also established a foundation in 2012, aiming for long-term support for the students, especially those from impoverished families in western China.

In 2012, Zhao succumbed to lung cancer and donated his body for scientific research. In his last moments, Zhao said," I have done what is most worth doing. I have no regrets now."

Zhao's "secret" was kept until 2016, when his story was made public.

 

[TaiShang]

Zhao Jiahe, a retired finance professor of Tsinghua University, had devoted his life to education and funding impoverished students. He donated his life savings of 15 million yuan ($2.2 million) to support over 2,000 high school students in need across the country.

That's a real teacher.

Respect.

***

China pushing for education equality: minister

China Daily, August 29, 2018


China endeavors to narrow the gap between rural and urban education through a range of efforts, the education minister said in a report on education equality to the country's top legislators.

The country has formulated unified standards on construction of school buildings, teaching staff quotas, public expenses per student and equipment for schools to eliminate the gap between rural and urban compulsory education, said Chen Baosheng, the education minister.

Chen made the report on Tuesday at a meeting of the bimonthly session of the National People's Congress Standing Committee, the permanent arm of the top legislature. The meeting reviewed enforcement of the national economic and social development plan and budget implementation.

Unified standards on the construction of elementary and secondary schools have been rolled out, said Chen, and the staff quotas of rural schools have been raised to the same level as their urban counterparts.

The standard is one teacher for 19 students for elementary schools and one teacher for 13.5 students for junior middle schools.

The report says China has also set up a unified funding mechanism for compulsory education with emphasis given to rural schools.

Regarding the education of children of migrant workers, Chen said local education departments are urged to implement a policy that allows migrant children equal access to education resources as local children, as long as they hold residence permits in the places where their parents work.

China's government has established a national school registration system where migrant children can finish procedures involved in cross-province school transfers online, said the report.

In 2017, the nationwide number of migrant children of compulsory education age stood at 14 million, of which 80 percent attended public schools while 7.5 percent studied at private schools through government-purchased services.

 

[JSCh]

Rural youths struggle to fit in urban life and break through social boundaries
By Hu Yuwei Source:Global Times Published: 2018/9/22 11:05:11

China's elite colleges broaden the horizon of poorer students with targeted programs

• Poorer students hope to climb the social ladder with diligence, but flounder and face intermittent frustration

• Elite universities help students from low-income families downplay identity labels and promote integration and equality

Zhang Chenyang, 17, displays his enrollment notice from Tsinghua University with his parents in Shangqiu, Central China's Henan Province. Photo: VCG

Wang Ying (pseudonym) has spent her past 12 years ensuring her entry into a prestigious university. She aims to step out of her rural community and move up the economic ladder. During the past decade, she packed her schedule tightly every day, from 6 am to 11 pm, to make more time for her studies. In her mind, this was the only way to secure a promising future.

She survived China's fierce national college entrance exams, and thought she would start a fresh chapter of her life story. But once she arrived at the university in the Chinese capital, she discovered that the way into a higher social strata is full of barriers.

Awkwardness and stigma

Wang, a recent graduate of Peking University, one of China's top universities, came from a remote village of Wenshui county, North China's Shanxi Province.

Even four years later, she can still recall the awkwardness and embarrassment she felt when she first joined the university's debate club in her freshman year. "I was timid, shy, and even did not dare to talk to anymore once the debate grew sharp," she told the Global Times. She felt herself at odds with the school's spirit of "confidence."

She had little common language with her roommates who are all from urban middle class families. She felt it was hard to imagine how the girls could spend her budget for a month's expenses on luxury cosmetics. She consoled herself by telling herself that putting on too much makeup would harm her skin.

Behind her roommates' backs, she secretly learned to wear makeup. Occasionally, she practiced how to wear a pair of high heels, to make herself "look like a white-collar lady."

She made efforts to improve herself from the inside out, such as learning photography, going to art shows, or participating in speech contests. She wanted to catch up with "a new fancy world."

"But I finally realized that it was impossible to completely erase the stigma of your native family," Wang said.

According to a January survey by the Office of Student Financial Aid of Peking University, over 50 percent of the 135 respondents who were recipients of financial aid felt they lacked confidence and were "weak" in social life.

Xiao Bai (pseudonym), a PhD graduate of Renmin University of China, comes from a village in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province. She experienced similar awkwardness when she first came to the university.

Despite excellent grades, she completed her bachelor's and master's degrees in her hometown partly due to the pressure of tuition and living expenses. Admission into a PhD program was her first chance to come to Beijing.

When she first ran for class cadre, she was frustrated when she felt herself dwarfed by some of her classmates from urban families who were more confident and with better presentation skills. She was more inclined to make friends with peers from a similar family background to bring herself warmth and self-esteem.

Fortunately her superior learning ability made her more and more cheerful and confident. Good academic performance also brought her many study partners, which made her realize her true value. "After that, I started taking the initiative to learn about the lives of people from different backgrounds and was willing to learn about their good qualities," Bai said.

"The division of social classes always exists. Receiving higher education is still the most powerful way to increase your social mobility. We can only rely on ourselves to break down barriers rather than complaining about the disparity with the rich."

Now with a decent and high-paying job, she has a passion to create better living conditions for her child. But she also worries that her child's efforts may be compromised by a lack of experience of hardship.

Education consciousness

As the only girl in a rural family of six, Wang Ying had to get up at 5:30 every morning from a young age to prepare breakfast for the family. Her father took her to school for about one hour. Compared with the tedious housework, she always felt that studying made her the most relaxed and happiest.

During her four years in Beijing, she only had her parents visit twice, mainly due to a tight budget.

Despite her family's economic pressures, she felt grateful to her parents for respecting her right to receive education. Not everyone in her village was as lucky as her. Many parents would rather spend any spare money on building a big house.

A low admission rate makes many rural parents worried about wasting their life savings on an uncertain educational path. Rural parents are very skeptical about the future of their children if they only go to a substandard school.

"Only around 10 percent of village teens can be admitted into a university every year in my village. More role models are needed to demonstrate the value of education in rural areas," Wang said.

"Education was thought to be an equalizer by offering an equal starting line for everyone. But it's not always the case. It can be an agent of inequality when we consider those lagging behind on the starting line - those who suffered disadvantages in their early learning and development," she continues.

Weakening labels

In order to empower economically disadvantaged students, almost every university in China has set up a student aid center to provide financial help and other support to promote rural students' integration and improve their adaptation.

Some school work-study schemes, including campus posts like tutor, library assistant, and campus tour guide, can also prepare young people more effectively for the workforce and an urban social life.

Tang Jie, director of the student financial assistance management center of Renmin University of China, told the Global Times that 100 percent of students from economically disadvantaged families can successfully apply for financial aid programs in the school.

Xie Ailei, an associate professor at the Education College of Guangzhou University, surveyed 2,000 rural students from four prestigious universities, and found that rural children can achieve self confidence in elite institutions — often by putting their energy into their studies, at the expense of their social lives.

The aid center of Peking University organizes students to go across the country every summer break to visit leading enterprises or volunteer at service institutions to enrich their social experience. Since 2011, the program has organized more than 80 student teams visiting 25 provinces across the country, benefiting more than 500 students.

Peking University also initiated a special talent program that invites famous scholars or successful people to be a mentor offering one-on-one instruction to students from economically poor families.

Using a different approach, the funding system of Renmin University of China is now making efforts to weaken the label of "students with family financial difficulties." They are promoting their idea of "implicit funding."

"We don't specifically organize students from disadvantaged families to participate in international exchange programs, because we want to avoid the pressure that labeling puts on students," Tang said.

"Instead, some mechanisms are used to guarantee the participation rate of students from disadvantaged families, so that they can be integrated into campus life together with other excellent students," Tang said.

Research by Yue Changjun, a professor of Graduate School of Education at Peking University, shows that the weakness of rural students is mainly reflected in their international vision, information processing ability, foreign language ability and critical thinking.

The Renmin University of China encourages students to attend relevant training, and get certified in computer skills, English, psychology, driving and other capabilities. The university reimburses the students for the relevant expenses.

Tang told the Global Times that the Self-Improvement Society - an unofficial student society serving students from economically disadvantaged families - has been shut down.

"We actually oppose the grouping of students from similar backgrounds. We do not want to reinforce this kind of identity. We would rather hope that they could fully integrate into life and learning with different types of people here in the university," said Tang.

 

[Kamikaze Pilot]

Guizhou is famous for its clean air, stunning countryside and agriculture.

Marked for Googling.

Guizhou is famous for its clean air, stunning countryside and agriculture.

 

[JSCh]

40 years on: Achievements in poverty relief
chinadaily.com.cn | Updated: 2018-09-26 06:30

 

[TaiShang]

40 years on: Achievements in poverty relief
chinadaily.com.cn | Updated: 2018-09-26 06:30

As part of Xi Jinping's targeted poverty relief strategy, experts and researchers (graduate students as well as seniors) are deployed to poverty areas in Mainland China to see and observe the impact of the policies on the ground.

Based on the reports, new adjustments are made. At times, it is found that a specific policy (that worked wonderfully in one area) is not working in some area (due to differences in local practices and conditions), then, new policies are structured and started anew.

This is a tough battle to win, especially given that China is not eradicating poverty by colonizing others and stealing their wealth. China is fighting poverty through indigenous methods and using national resources.