Yonglian Village, a once-barren Yangtze River tidal flat in Jiangsu Province, now stands as a beacon of China’s rural revitalization success. Praised by President Xi Jinping as "amazing," its journey from poverty to prosperity offers a blueprint for sustainable development.
In an exclusive interview during the Two Sessions, National People’s Congress deputy and Yonglian Village Party Secretary Wu Huifang shared insights with CGTN’s Hou Na on the village’s transformation. "Our path involved integrating modern agriculture, eco-tourism, and collective ownership models," Wu explained, emphasizing community-driven growth.
The village’s strategy prioritized education and infrastructure, attracting over $50 million in domestic investments since 2010. Today, residents enjoy per capita incomes exceeding $8,000 annually – a 15-fold increase since 2000. Wu highlighted upcoming green energy projects aimed at achieving carbon neutrality by 2030.
With poverty alleviation a key theme of this year’s Two Sessions, Yonglian’s story underscores China’s broader rural modernization efforts. Analysts suggest its cooperative model could inform development strategies across Asia.
