Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said that distinctive rural industries have great potential for growth.
Xi made this remark on Tuesday during an inspection trip to Maoming in south China's Guangdong Province.
He went to the village in Genzi Township, Gaozhou City of Maoming, where he inspected a lychee orchard and an agricultural cooperative, and praised the villagers for their efforts in promoting rural revitalization through the development of a unique lychee industry.
Development of industries
Noting that Baiqiao Village is a "hometown of lychees," Xi said it has distinctive features and advantages in growing lychees, which is an effective approach to promoting common prosperity and advancing rural revitalization.
Baiqiao Village has a long-standing history of lychee cultivation, spanning over 2,000 years, with current plantings covering an area of 6,800 mu (453 hectares), which is approximately 87 percent of the village area.
Additionally, Baiqiao Village has developed fresh fruit processing, e-commerce, and cultural tourism, providing an increased income for the villagers. By 2022, the per capita income of villagers is estimated to be around 51,000 yuan ($7,410).
The development of the lychee industry in Baiqiao offers a glimpse of China's rural revitalization agenda as the Chinese president has made it clear that the development of industries is the most important on the agenda of rural revitalization.
Speaking at the annual central rural work conference last December, Xi also made clear requirements that particular attention should be paid to local specialties.
By relying on special agricultural and rural resources, benefits should be sought through developing a variety of agricultural functions, tapping multiple types of value in rural areas and integrated development of primary, secondary, and tertiary industries, Xi noted in the meeting.
In this year's "No. 1 central document," specific arrangements have also been made concerning the high-quality development of rural industries, stressing the country will strive to ensure that more than 60 percent of the central government subsidies for rural vitalization is used to develop local industries.