Shandong county revitalized through partnership in diversified industries

Sishui County, once an impoverished county in east China's Shandong Province, has dramatically improved the local economy and employment by actively attracting new talents and partners to run diversified businesses such as cultural tourism, new farming projects, and industrial parks.

During the just concluded five-day May Day holiday, Sishui County became a hotspot for rural tourism, thanks to its "rural revitalization partnership program" in its official term.

A capable local businessman, Tian Bin, used to run a company in other cities a few years ago. Sishui's local government has now recruited him as a partner in its cultural and tourism industry sector, responsible for operating its Longwan Lake demonstration area.

"The number of tourists can reach more than 10,000 on weekends. The number can reach 20,000 to 30,000 a day during public holidays like the Spring Festival and May Day holidays," Tian said.

The local government has invested more than 60 million yuan (about 8.2 million U.S. dollars) to support infrastructure construction, such as roads, water and power supply, and 5G networks, which are necessary for the development of the cultural and tourism sector.

"We are developing rural cultural tourism industry. If the government does not invest in infrastructure, it will be difficult for rural cultural tourism to develop. When we talk about the relationship between investment and operation, we emphasize that the two should move towards symbiosis and win-win in the future," said Liu Guitong, secretary of the Chinese Communist Party committee of Shengshuiyu Town.

In addition to tourism, Sishui County has developed more than a dozen characteristic agricultural projects, such as greenhouse cherries and strawberries by recruiting other technical partners. Driven by the new industries, more than 20,000 people have returned to their hometowns to start businesses and find jobs in the local area.

Zhang Shike, one of the agricultural technical partners, is working with experts from the Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences to breed new strawberry varieties in Da Chongyi Village of Sishui County.

"Our strawberries are now on the market on May 7. We plan to make improvements, and advance the date to April 20 in the future, and if the harvest period is delayed by another week, the yield is expected to increase by about 800 jin (400 kg), which means we can increase our income by 2,000 yuan per mu (0.067 hectare)," Zhang said.

At present, the area of Zhang's strawberry planting base continues to expand. It has developed from the original only one base to the current eight, covering over 130 hectares, with an annual output value of more than 13 million yuan.

Sishui County is actively recruiting suitable industrial enterprise partners to draw more businesses to rural areas and activate the potential for urban-rural integration.

Bianjiazhuang Village, in Jinzhuang Town of Sishui County, has a certain foundation for developing industrial activities. The local government has listed it as the first batch of villages to build industrial parks.

The village has been expanding its industrial park scale by attracting social capital to build factories and lease them. So far, more than 20 enterprises have settled in the industrial park, providing jobs for more than 1,000 locals.

"The construction of the industrial park and the implementation of some investment projects have gradually increased employment opportunities," said Li Bin, the Jinzhuang Town CPC committee secretary.

Statistics show that Sishui County has recruited a total of 10,687 young talents, attracting more than 20,000 people to return to their hometowns to work and employing more than 8,400 local people. These new rural industries' total annual output value has exceeded 700 million yuan.

Shandong county revitalized through partnership in diversified industries

A series of cross-Strait exchange activities have been held in north China's Shanxi Province, providing platforms for people from both sides of the Taiwan Strait to explore shared history, culture, and business opportunities.

A ceremony worshiping Emperor Yandi, a legendary ancestor of the Chinese nation, was held in Gaoping, a county-level city in Shanxi on May 24.

The worship ceremony featured rituals including incense offering, the reading of eulogies, ritual bowing, and traditional Chinese instrument performances. The solemn event brought together people from both sides of the Strait, strengthening their shared sense of cultural belonging and deepening consensus around a common Chinese identity.

"Because (in Taiwan), we've known since childhood that we are descendants of Emperor Yandi and Emperor Huangdi, so attending this ceremony really meant a lot to me," said Hsieh Yu-Chan, a Taiwan resident.

"It truly gives me the feeling of being as the descendants of Yandi and Huangdi. I was deeply moved. If I have the opportunity, I will definitely come again next year," said another Taiwan resident.

Shanxi Province has a solid industrial base and a favorable business environment. The province has rolled out preferential policies for Taiwan residents, attracting more than 100 Taiwan-funded enterprises to invest and settle in.

On May 23, an event highlighting cross-Strait business exchanges was held in the province's Jincheng City, attracting nearly 150 Taiwan businesspeople and youths, enhancing mutual understanding and exploring business opportunities.

"(Shanxi's) cultural tourism, healthcare, and coal chemical industries, in particular, offer excellent opportunities for Taiwan businesses, while Taiwan businesses are also very strong in producing key components for AI computing power. The prospects [for cooperation] are very promising," said Lee Cheng-hung, president of the Association of Taiwan Investment Enterprises on the Mainland.

"The mainland's economy is actually very strong. I think the success rate of starting a business and investing here is at least twice as high as in Taiwan. So I encourage young people in Taiwan to come and visit more often," said Chang Han-hsuan, a businessman.

During the event, participants also visited local enterprises, a short video production base, and popular tourist attractions across Shanxi.

Cross-Strait cultural, business exchange activities held in Shanxi