Wujiangzhai, once a secluded mountain hamlet in southwest China's Guizhou Province, has transformed into a thriving tourist resort centered around its heritage of Miao embroidery.
The transformation stems from broader rural revitalization efforts alongside a modern commercial push to revive the ancient hand-stitching tradition, an initiative largely driven by a new generation of young inheritors.
Recognized as one of China’s major regional embroidery styles, the craft is now providing both cultural identity and economic opportunity for the local community.
In recent years, a growing number of young artisans have returned to Wujiangzhai to establish workshops, pairing traditional craftsmanship with local economic development. Among them is 23-year-old inheritor Liu Yongyi.
"I am the fourth-generation inheritor of Miao embroidery from Zunyi, Guizhou Province. I received my education in a big city. When I returned home, I witnessed how my hometown had transformed from a remote mountain village into a world-class tourist resort. It is through cultural tourism that we see new possibilities for our intangible cultural heritage. More than 200 women from surrounding villages have joined us in developing the local Miao embroidery industry. Among them, over ten are people living with disabilities and left-behind mothers. Our goal is to help them create sustainable livelihoods and earn an income right where they live," he said.
Born and raised in a city that bears witness to the history of the Long March, Liu said the Long March spirit, which comes down to keeping the faith, braving setback after setback, and putting the people first, is what has been guiding his entrepreneurship.
"Zunyi is a land where the spirit of the Long March endures. A century ago, our Miao ancestors supported the Red Army with every stitch they made. Today, Miao people, including our younger generation, carry forward the same spirit. We preserve our ethnic culture through the power of our needles and our hands. We hope to embody the timeless Long March spirit within our embroidered works," he said.
Beyond preserving the craft, Liu says his enterprise is deeply inspired by his hometown's revolutionary history. Zunyi holds a central place in China as a key stop along the historic 1935 Long March route. For a new generation of local entrepreneurs, that legacy serves as motivation to drive rural development and keep their mountain community thriving.
Young Miao embroidery inheritors help turn remote Guizhou village into tourist attraction
Cooperation and exchanges between China and Indonesia have yielded tangible results since the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road initiative was proposed 13 years ago, benefiting sectors from infrastructure to cultural exchange.
One of the major achievements is the construction of the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway, which links the Indonesian capital Jakarta with the city of Bandung in West Java Province. It has slashed the trip time from about four hours to just over 40 minutes.
As Indonesia's first high-speed rail line and the first in Southeast Asia, the railway has handled over 18 million passenger trips since it officially began commercial operations on Oct 17, 2023.
Along the railway, an industrial park is home to Wuling Motors Indonesia, a subsidiary of the major Chinese automobile manufacturer SAIC-GM-Wuling.
In the factory, more and more Indonesians are participating in different stages of vehicle production and assembly.
"When we first entered the Indonesian market, we mainly exported finished products. But now, what we export is technology, quality systems, and a full supply chain," said Yan Sui, head of the factory.
Young Indonesians working in various Chinese factories learn to operate advanced equipment, gain experience with new production methods and discover new career opportunities.
"At Wuling, I learned a great deal about automation, covering areas like conveyors, robotics, pneumatics and various mechanical and electrical systems. Technically speaking, I gained a lot of knowledge in Chinese factories," said Bintang, an Indonesian worker at the factory.
As bilateral cooperation among industries becomes more interconnected, so does the financial sector. Today, Indonesians traveling in China can use their own apps to make payments by simply scanning a QR code.
The two countries are also expanding cooperation in science and technology.
At Indonesia's Luban Workshop, a Chinese vocational training program, local youths acquire China's theoretical knowledge and experience, as well as practical skills they can apply in their jobs.
"Having able to have the device itself. PLC (programmable logic controller) and then able to learn how to design things in CAD (computer-aided design)," said Angga, an Indonesian university student.
The cooperation between the two countries also extends beyond the economy and technology sectors, into people-to-people cultural exchanges.
In August, the Chinese box-office hit "Dear You" was released nationwide in Indonesia, touching audiences with its historic diaspora experience and exploration of universal themes of displacement, nostalgia, and memories passed down through generations.
"This film is well worth watching for us, because it reflects the history of my parents' generation, a time from the past, and I feel very excited about it," said Chen Meizhuan, an Indonesian of Chinese descent.
China-Indonesia cooperation yields fruitful results across board
