Beijing, 8 Sep (Xinhua) -- From a place of poverty and isolation to the frontier of opening up to the outside world, the old areas are moving toward "prosperity."
Xinhua News Agency reporters Lai Xing, Li Jingya, Jiang Chenrong
Whether it is in the verdant mountains, or by the busy machines, or on the smiling faces full of happiness, people can deeply feel the vitality and new look of the old revolutionary base area given by the new era.
Walking into Huamao Village, Fengxiang Town, Banzhou District, Zunyi City, Guizhou Province, the "Smiley Face Wall" full of photos of the smiling faces of the villagers came into view.
"We have kept the bottom line of not returning to poverty. On the one hand, the village will continue to implement industrial coverage and strengthen the employment of poverty alleviation households with labor; On the other hand, make good use of public welfare posts and strengthen policy support. Peng Longfen, secretary of the general party branch and director of the village committee of Huamao Village, said loudly.
Once upon a time, Huamao Village was called "barren thatched fields", full of barren acres and thatched houses with earthen walls.
In recent years, Huamao Village has deeply integrated eco-tourism with agriculture, culture and commerce, and more than a dozen rural tourism operators have sprung up. In 2023, Huamao Village will receive 1.18 million tourists and achieve tourism income of more than 30 million yuan.
Tourists play in Huamao Village, Fengxiang Town, Banzhou District, Zunyi City, Guizhou Province, July 11, 2023. Xinhua News Agency (photo by Wang Bingzhen)
Zhang Shengdi, the person in charge of the ancient paper workshop of "Huamao Family", has been working hard in other places after graduating from university. When she found that her hometown was getting better and better, she returned to her hometown through the "Phoenix Returns to the Nest" talent introduction program, and the carefully developed cultural and creative products were favored by tourists.
The Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) pointed out that safeguarding and improving people's livelihood in the process of development is a major task of Chinese modernization.
Yan'an, Shaanxi Province, the old revolutionary base area, is located in the hilly and gully area of the Loess Plateau, with dense ditches. In order to improve the living conditions of the people in the old area, Yan'an City has successively treated 32 ditches since 2021. At present, there are 21,000 households and nearly 60,000 people who have benefited from this project.
The streets stretch along gentle slopes, lined with pale yellow caves, dwellings, pocket parks and small gardens...... In early autumn, Gaojiayuan Village, Baota District, Yan'an City, presents a beautiful picture of livability and happiness.
The whole picture of Gaojiayuan Zecun after the ditch treatment of Gaojiayuan Street, Baota District, Yan'an City (drone photo). Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Zou Jingyi
In the past, the ditches here were narrow and potholes, and garbage and debris were piled up in many places, making it difficult for ambulances to enter if residents were acutely ill. "Now we are as beautiful as a painting, and there are a lot of tourists here." Kwong Jijun, a 74-year-old resident, is planning to convert his eight-hole cave into a homestay.
Pang Zhenqiang, deputy director of the Housing and Urban-Rural Development Bureau of Yan'an Baota District, introduced that Yan'an has effectively solved the people's livelihood problems that the masses are concerned about through the diversified financing model of "government investment, enterprise participation, and residents' self-raising".
The mountains are high and the roads are far away, remote and closed, and it was once the "synonym" of the old area. Today, many old areas not only have ports, high-speed railways, and airports, but also become the forefront of opening up to the outside world.
Jiangxi Ganzhou International Dry Port Freight Yard was busy, with a long whistle sounding, the China-Europe train loaded with household appliances, furniture, machinery and equipment and other export products slowly started and headed for Moscow, Russia.
"There are more and more commodities transported by China-Europe trains, the scope of route radiation is getting wider and wider, and more enterprises rely on logistics channels to go abroad." Liu Liping, deputy director of the Operation Management Bureau of Ganzhou International Inland Port Management Committee, said that since the establishment of the port, more than 1,400 China-Europe (Asia) trains have been operated, accounting for more than 75% of the total number of trains in the province.
On September 4, in the Ganzhou International Dry Port Freight Yard, Nankang District, Ganzhou City, Jiangxi Province, containers were neatly arranged, and import and export goods were being loaded and unloaded in a fast and orderly manner. (Photo provided by the interviewee)
As the only inland open port in the old revolutionary base area in China, Ganzhou International Dry Port has opened up the land and sea passage connecting the old area of southern Ganzhou to the world, witnessing the old area embracing the world with the courage of reform and innovation, and an open and confident attitude.
In southern Gansu, "the spirit of the old area, the thinking of the bay area, and the speed of the special zone" is not only the pride of struggle, but also a vivid reality. Ganzhou is accelerating to become an open highland and a city of entrepreneurship.
Whether in the revolutionary era or in the new journey of comprehensively deepening reform and promoting Chinese-style modernization, the people in the old areas have always forged ahead on the road of revitalization and development under the strong leadership of the party, with the tenacious fighting spirit of unremitting self-improvement and hard struggle, as well as the heroic spirit of indomitable and daring to win.