Rural villages prosper from e-commerce boom

E-commerce has expanded rapidly in the rural parts of Jiangxi province as operations and service centers spring up across the countryside, according to Gui Qianjin, a deputy of the National People's Congress.

In Huangsi, a village of the She ethnic group where Gui is a Party chief, an e-commerce service center will soon be put into operation, opening distribution channels for local farmers to sell their agricultural products, such as tea, mushrooms and winter bamboo shoots.

It will provide job opportunities for the village's more than 900 residents, who mostly work elsewhere at present, and is expected to help each family earn about 2,000 yuan ($306) more every year, Gui said.

Last year, Guixi city in Jiangxi province allocated 60 million yuan to support the development of the local e-commerce industry, and in 2014 a special platform was launched for local people to do business transactions online.

For Gui, who has been a village official for seven years, the most important part of progress is helping local people to lead a better life.

She has overseen the development of bamboo forests, that have more than doubled in value to around 200 yuan per mu (666.7 square meters) during her tenure, and has helped with the establishment of an organic green tea production base.

"The greatest happiness in my life is working for the well-being of the local villagers," she said.

Gui has also persuaded local entrepreneurs to relocate their factories in her village instead of distant cities, creating more jobs for villagers, and suggested that local governments develop ecological industries by taking advantage of their 3A tourist spots.

"During my stay in Beijing, I will take the opportunity to promote our beautiful village and make preparations for the development of its tourist industry," said Gui, who is determined to make Huangsi a model wealthy village in line with President Xi Jinping's vision of a "beautiful China". In 2015, the per capita income of farmers in Huangsi was 12,000 yuan, an increase of 5,000 yuan from 2012.

Contact the writer at wangwei2012@chinadaily.com.cn