The picturesque countryside view at a village in Gansu province. [Photo provided to China Daily] 

Projects signed to improve social welfare in areas

The 2020 "Belt and Road" Beautiful Countryside Forum was held in the city of Longnan in Northwest China's Gansu province from Monday to Wednesday, where cross-regional cooperation was discussed for common prosperity in rural areas.

This year's event was co-hosted by the Gansu government, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, the World Tourism Alliance and the Association of the Beautiful Villages of the Belt and Silk Road in France.

It featured a main forum held at its permanent venue in Kangxian county, three parallel forums, two signing ceremonies and an awards ceremony, the event's organizers said.

Sun Wei, deputy Party secretary of the province, said Gansu, which plays an important role in the ancient Silk Road and the BRI, is committed to rural revitalization.

For example, Kangxian county has built 70 demonstration villages for rural tourism and four national 4A scenic areas, the second-highest level in China's five-tier quality rating for tourist attractions.

The province has strived to build the beautiful countryside that not only boasts unique characteristics but can bring huge benefits to local residents, Sun said.

"We will continue to explore and utilize rural resources, making them become a strong driver of local economic growth."

Villagers dry gouqi, or Chinese wolfberry, at a farmyard in Gansu. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Sun said the forum serves as a channel to promote exchanges and cultural integration and further strengthen cross-regional collaboration on rural development.

Vice-Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs Liu Huanxin delivered a speech at the main forum.

China's building of a beautiful countryside has made significant progress in five aspects.

It has contributed to local industrial growth and environmental protection, as well as improving people's livelihood, rural management and cultural innovations, Liu said.

To further advance rural development, governments and authorities need to join hands with countries and regions involved in the Belt and Road Initiative to share rural resources, establish more cooperation platforms and build a better future for everyone together, Liu said.

The three-day event attracted a number of representatives from international organizations and countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative.

Mahendra Bahadur Pandey, Nepal's ambassador to China, shared his views on a beautiful countryside. "Now, the challenge for us is to develop the beautiful countryside in such a manner that while we generate employment for the youth and enhance our productive capacity and output, by modernizing and commercializing agriculture to bring about changes in rural economy, we also protect the sanctity by building on the resilience of nature," the ambassador said.

Representatives attend the 2020 "Belt and Road" Beautiful Countryside Forum in Longnan,
Gansu province. SHENG XUEQIN / FOR CHINA DAILY

This is easier said than done, Pandey said, adding that China has gained much experience that is highly instructive for neighboring countries with similar socioeconomic characteristics and physical geography.

As a key part of the event, Gansu signed a cooperation agreement with the United Nations World Food Programme which will launch a pilot project for the improved health of local preschoolers.

Funded by the WFP, the project is designed to provide safe food for targeted kindergartens, enhance the nutrition of preschool children and help low-income families solve difficulties, local officials said.

Statistics show that 46 projects were signed at the forum with a combined investment of 10.16 billion yuan ($1.55 billion).

These projects cover four major fields including modern agriculture and cultural tourism, according to the organizers.

Additionally, the Gansu government released a list of three enterprises which made great contributions to local industries' transformation and poverty alleviation. Each company was given an award of 10 millionyuan.

The first "Belt and Road" Beautiful Countryside Forum was held in Gansu in October last year.