Pidu District of Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province, stands at the forefront of promoting the integrated development between urban and rural areas, constantly seeking new avenues for shared prosperity by harmonizing urban and rural functions and industries.
Pidu District, the birthplace of the ancient Shu civilization and the source of the agricultural civilization of the upper reaches of the Yangtze River, has a historical and cultural DNA rooted in agricultural prosperity.
In recent years, Pidu has created a model of modern agricultural and rural development, treating the city and countryside as interconnected entities. The approach optimizes spatial layouts to create a business-friendly and livable countryside.
In China's Sichuan Cuisine Industrial City, based on the Pixian Douban intellectual super-property which has a brand value of 66.109 billion yuan, over a hundred enterprises have been engaged in intelligent production and manufacturing, driving innovation and reaping the benefits of urban-rural integration.
"In fact, it is a very traditional industry. We used to rely heavily on the operating experience of the staff. In order to ensure a more stable product quality, the whole production process is now standardized and we are also using a lot of intelligent equipment, including intelligent systems, to achieve traceability of our entire production process. This helps improve the competitiveness of the company. We are also committed to solving the local employment problem, focusing on the welfare of frontline production staff, including income improvement," said Ni Tiaoyuan, manufacturing manager of NGM biotechnology company.
China's Sichuan Cuisine Industrial City is the first industrial park named after a local cuisine. Over 19 years of development, it has insisted on technological empowerment, continuously enhanced its research and development, and supply chain management capabilities, and created more than 12,000 jobs.
"We support leading enterprises to establish chili, bean, pepper planting bases in Gansu, Xinjiang or Guizhou, so as to play the role of upstream and downstream drivers. We have also actively integrated into the new consumption industry, attracting tourists and promoting the integration of urban and rural exchanges from multiple perspectives," said Yang Li, deputy director of the Management Committee of Sichuan Cuisine Industrial City of China.
In Donglin Art Village of Pidu District, many agricultural, cultural and tourism integration projects have become Instagram-worthy places, attracting many visitors.
"My house is in Chengdu. I'm meeting a friend today. Usually everyone is very busy at work, so for the weekend, they would like to find a place to relax with friends. I checked online and found that the environment here is quite good, with good views of the countryside. People can be close to the countryside and enjoy the wonderful scenery. Outside the courtyard, there is a swimming pool. It is a great place to take pictures. So today, I have come here with my friend for afternoon tea," said Zhou Dan, a visitor.
Chen Guo, president of Dezhiyuan Rice and Garlic Specialized Cooperative, reflected on the company's efforts on boosting the integrated development of urban and rural areas.
"After working in Shanghai for more than ten years, I wanted to return to my hometown for work. Donglin Art Village is relatively close to the city, and at the right stage to be developed. I am engaged in industrial analysis and regional planning, and I am very familiar with agriculture. I chose Donglin Village as I thought it is more suitable. Our company is engaged in the agricultural and service industry sector. It has more than 50 employees, and the vast majority of them come from the village. In addition, millions of yuan are paid for labor in agriculture every year, constituting the income of nearby villagers working in the fields. Our company is also a perfect example of rural revitalization efforts to boost personal income growth, which reflects the integration of urban and rural areas in China," said Chen.
The communiqué issued by the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) underscores the integration between urban and rural areas and called for efforts to promote the two-way flow and equal exchanges between urban and rural areas, with the aim of reducing urban-rural disparities and promoting prosperity and common development.
Taking advantage of regional advantages and characteristics, Pidu District is working hard to realize the idea that a city improves people's lives, while the countryside contributes to their happiness.
Pidu District in China's Chengdu leads way in urban-rural integrated development
