Foreign
Agricultural innovators contributing to China’s comprehensive rural vitalization
By Gu Chun, Liu Junguo, People’s Daily
In the tranquil winter of Huangyangjian village, Zhanmao neighborhood, Putuo district, Zhoushan, east China’s Zhejiang province, the aroma of roasted rice wafts through the air at the “Rabbit Market.”
Everything at the market exudes the unique charm, such as traditional mud stoves, clay teapots and bamboo chairs commonly found in the countryside.
The “Rabbit Market” was launched by local resident Xia Ziyu in 2022 upon her return home from working out-of-town. The market specializes in discovering, enhancing, and selling local farm produce.
“Guanyin rice is a specialty of Zhoushan. We have adopted rice roasting technique from Yunnan province to make tea with it,” Xia said, while skillfully stirring the rice, attracting many tourists.
Currently, Xia’s team consists of 21 people, mainly engaged in the commercialization of agricultural products and brand development, and supporting 200 pioneers in rural specialty products in livestream commerce. Last year, Xia was honored as a national young pioneer for rural vitalization.
In Zhejiangprovince, tens of thousands of agricultural innovators have ventured into villages and become a significant driving force for comprehensive rural vitalization.
Agricultural innovators, or farming entrepreneurs, are individuals below the age of 45 who take charge as leaders or stakeholders of farmer cooperatives, agricultural enterprises, family farms, or other agricultural production and operation entities.
The village of Taipingshan in Shangyu district, Shaoxing, Zhejiang province boasts a long history.In 2022, Shangyu native Chen Liefeng, who was running a business in Shanghai, visited the village for the first time and discovered its beautiful scenery, but noticed the absence of agritainment and rural guesthouses.
After researching ancient books, he found that the village has a long history of producing Polygonatum, also known as Solomon’s seal. Chen then signed a cooperation agreement with Taipingshan village and became afarming entrepreneur there. The village contributed its unused forest resources as equity, accounting for 60 percent.
Unlike artificially cultivated Polygonatum, the Polygonatum in Taipingshan is grown using a “natural growth” method, where villagers scatter the seeds in the high mountain forests without using pesticides or fertilizers, allowing them to grow naturally in the wild.
Currently, there are more than 450,000 plants thriving after Polygonatum seeds were sown on over 1,000 mu (667 hectares) of mountain forests in the village.
“We are not pursuing temporary ‘internet fame.’ We sowthe seeds on hundreds of mu of land each year. When they become high-quality Polygonatum, we will achieve sustainable harvesting, which will be the long-term wealth of the village,” Chen said confidently.
With the development of the Polygonatum industry, the number of visitors and tourists has been increasing, and the village now boasts rural guesthouses, tea houses, and dining establishments.
Zhejiang province has launched a project to nurture 100,000 agricultural innovators, providing support in terms of funding, land, technology, and more.
In 2024, Zhejiang has initiated the construction of 100 modern farming entrepreneurparks and 500 bases for the common development of farming entrepreneur, offering a one-stop service including project incubation and skills enhancement, and promoting an entrepreneurship mechanism involving experts, farming entrepreneur teams and farmers.
“With the government’s support, we have successfully established a bamboo weaving workshop. In collaboration with schools, we are actively promoting intangible cultural heritage on campuses. Additionally, we have set up display counters at airports and five-star hotels, leading to a surge in orders,” said Ye Shangjie, a bamboo weaving inheritor born in the 1990s, in an intangible cultural heritage exhibition hall in Xijiang ancient village in Yizhou district, Ningbo.
Rural vitalization hinges on talent. Zhejiang province has set a target to cultivate 100,000 agricultural innovators,by 2025 who will help 1 million farmers increase their income. The province has already nurtured 300 outstanding rural talents, 4,600 leaders in rural industrial vitalization, 81,000 agricultural innovators, and 275,000 “new farmers.” This robust and dynamic rural talent pool is vital in driving comprehensive rural vitalization.
Foreign
China’s new chapter in global innovation

By Gu Yekai, Liu Yiqing, People’s Daily
At a smart construction project site managed by China State Construction Engineering Corporation, a quiet technological revolution is underway. Amid cranes and concrete, engineers are deploying advanced artificial intelligence (AI) systems that could fundamentally reshape the construction industry.
Li Fengjian, an AI specialistwith Xianyuan Technology, detailed how the company’s latest intelligent system – built on a large model – adapts to complex construction environments.”Engineering machinery equipped with intelligent agents can adjust its operations automatically in response to weather conditions,” Li explained, adding that a spatiotemporal sensing network further enhances the system, providing real-time tracking of both personnel and materials throughout the construction site.
In February this year, Xianyuan Technology rapidly integrated its self-developed model with DeepSeek-R1, effectively blending a general-purpose framework with industry-specific models. This integration, Li noted, has produced a solution capable of delivering expert-level performance in challenging, dynamic environments. The firm is based in the Shanghai Foundation Model Innovation Center, aburgeoning AI incubator that now hosts over 200 innovative enterprises.
China’s technological transformation extends well beyond the construction sector. Overthe past three decades, the country has evolved from its initial forays into internet connectivity to becoming a key player in global digital innovation.
Here, a steady stream of technological innovations are emerging, from the early days of emails and web browsing to the cutting-edge technologies represented by DeepSeek and the dynamic evolution of social media.
Wu Jianping, an academician at the Chinese Academy of Engineering and headof the Zhongguancun Laboratory, pointed out that while China had introduced only one internet standard before 2005, it now contributes to over 200 worldwide. Such strides illustrate the country’s concerted push toward high-level technological self-reliance – a journey marked by both persistence and determination.
Beyond the digital realm, China is makingsignificant inroads in aerospace, new energy, and other high-tech sectors. It has transitioned from being a follower to standing shoulder-to-shoulder with global leaders, and in some areas, even taking the lead. Wu attributed these achievements to a dynamic ecosystem of policy reforms and talent cultivation that encourages creativity and technical expertise at every level.
Amid intensifying international competition, collaborative research and the integration of new technologies with traditional industries are central to China’s high-quality economic development.
Mei Linhai, a researcher at China’s State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Intelligence, remarked that the age of AI calls for continuous exploration. “In this era, everyone is an innovator. Only by persistently pushing the boundaries can we remain at the forefront of both technological and industrial development,” Mei observed.
In the field of general-purpose AI, Mei emphasized that independent innovation is paramount. He advocates for a self-driven industrial ecosystem that leveragesbreakthrough technologies to boost productivity and unlock new possibilities, Mei said.
Foreign
Chinese democracy in action:a village bench meeting shapes national law

By Wei Zhezhe, Liu Botong, People’s Daily
In a modest corner of Jiangmen, south China’s Guangdong province, residents of Weidong village are experiencing firsthand a form of democracy that starts at the grassroots level and reverberates all the way to Beijing.
Wu Tengxin, a local villager who relies on a scooter for daily mobility after contracting polio, recalls a time when the village’s public spaces were ill-equipped for people with disabilities. Now, thanks to a simple suggestion made during a meeting, his everyday life has changed.
In November 2022, a team from a local legislative outreach office – a branch of China’sNational People’s Congress (NPC) – visited Weidong village and set up a “bench-style meeting.” Residents, including the elderly and those with disabilities, gathered to voice their concerns about inadequate accessibility.
Amid the conversation, Wu offered a straightforward proposal: “I hope rural accessible facilities can be improved to make mobility easier for people with disabilities and the elderly.” His words were relayed verbatim to lawmakers.
The response was swift. On June 28, 2023, at the third session of the 14th NPC Standing Committee, legislators passed a law on building a barrier-free living environment. The law stipulates that improvements”shall align with social and economic development levels, coordinate urban and rural progress, and gradually narrow the gap in infrastructure between urban and rural areas.”
Today, Wu observes that the village’s main roads and public squares have been upgraded with accessibility features that make getting around considerably easier.
This episode illustrates what Chinese officials call “whole-process people’s democracy” – a system where citizen input is woven into every stage of policy development.
Jilie Ziri, head of Abuluoha village in Butuo county, southwest China’s Sichuan province, remarked that for young generations in China, democracy has become a lived experience. “Villagers are the masters of village affairs,” he said, emphasizing how active villager participation has injected new vitality into local governance.
Experts point to consultative democracy as a cornerstone of this process. Tao Kaiyuan, vice chairman of the Central Committee of the China Association for Promoting Democracy and vice president of the Supreme People’s Court, underscores the important role of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, whose members hail from every stratum of society and bring a wealth of expertise and connections.
Their regular forums, field research, and public consultations have created robust channels for citizens to contribute ideas and forge consensus.”This approach gathers collective wisdom and transforms public voices into policy,” Tao said.
Another crucial manifestation is the effectiveness of China’s political party system. Under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, Chinese democratic parties actively fulfill their duties, offering recommendations that often translate into concrete policy decisions. This integrated approach demonstrates the unique strengths of China’s political system and the advantages of whole-process people’s democracy.
Tao emphasized that whole-process people’s democracyhas evolved into an efficient and dynamic democratic practice – one that not only reflects the essence of socialist democracy but also presents a pioneering model of political civilization, contributing Chinese wisdom and solutions to global governance and democratic development.
Foreign
Chinese modernization: blueprint for global progress

By He Yin, People’s Daily
At China’s recent annual “two sessions,” Chinese modernization once again captured global attention. International observers are closely following a range of new measures designed not only to accelerate Chinese domestic transformation but also to unlock fresh opportunities for global development.
They believe that Chinese modernization, built on a foundation of openness and cooperation, will continue to yield global benefits with each new milestone.
Today, China stands as a formidable force in the global economy – accounting for around 18 percent of the global economy and nearly 30 percent of world manufacturing output. Year after year, the nation has contributed about 30 percent to global economic growth. With import and export records with almost all countries and regions designated in the United Nations Statistics Division, the country is a major trading partner for more than 150 countries and regions. In 2024, its exports to over 160 countries and regions saw growth.
Often hailed as the “world’s largest developing country,”the “second-largest economy,””world’s factory,””global market,” and “innovation powerhouse,” China is increasingly viewed as a beacon of stability and progress.
In recent years, high-profile events such as the seventh China International Import Expo – where intended deals exceeded $80 billion – and the establishment of over 1.239 million foreign-invested enterprises have reinforced the nation’s reputation as a vast, dynamic market.
Meanwhile, policies encouraging Chinese companies to “go global” have seen a steady stream of new technologies, goods, and services permeate international markets, knitting the country ever tighter into global value chains and bolstering its commitment to win-win cooperation.
The influence of Chinese modernization is evident far beyond its borders. In the Central African Republic, President Faustin-Archange Touadera has repeatedly screened China’s political documentary Carry the Reform Through to the End for cabinet discussions, while officialsin Uzbekistan are adapting China’s poverty-reduction experience to suit their national context. These moves challenge the assumption that modernization must follow Western models, suggesting that China’s alternative pathway offers a viable route to development.
Beyond economic growth, Chinese modernization is increasingly celebrated for its potential to foster win-win cooperation and shared prosperity.
Under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), for example, Kazakhstan secured its first maritime access and Laos launched its first modern railway. Support from the Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund has propelled over 160 projects, benefiting more than 30 million people. Moreover, China has given all the least developed countries with which it has diplomatic relations zero-tariff treatment for 100 percent tariff lines, signaling its commitment to an open and inclusive global economy.
China’s modernization agenda also tackles global challenges head on. In response to global environmental risks, China advocates for building a community of all life on the Earth. To bridge the digital and AI divide, it has launched the AI Capacity-Building Action Plan for Good and for All to ensure that technological advancements benefit every corner of the globe.
On the security front, China continues to promote dialogue and reconciliation in conflict zones while engaging in multilateral security collaborations, reinforcing its reputation as a nation committed to peace and stability.
By proposing initiatives such as the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, and the Global Civilizations Initiative, China is not just charting its own course toward modernization but championing an equal and orderly multipolar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization – one that seeks to ensure that no nation is left behind on the path to prosperity.
The global appeal of Chinese modernization is far from accidental. Decades of reform and opening up have accelerated its development while enabling the country to contribute to global governance. On the international stage, it has taken on a leadership role – actively shaping global norms, building a community with a shared future for mankind, and advancing world peace and development. By sharing its successful experiences and technological advancements, the country seeks to help other developing countries chart their own courses toward progress.
With over 1.4 billion people engaged in this modernization journey – a number that surpasses the total population of all developed countries combined – China’s approach is redefining the global modernization landscape. For China, modernization is not solely a national endeavor but a blueprint for global progress – a vision that promises a more inclusive future for all.
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