Embarking on a new journey with determined efforts and practical actions—A spotlight on the third "Deputy Channel" session at the Fourth Session of the 14th National People's Congress

Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, March 12—Topic: Set Sail with Full Sails and Start a New Journey with Determination—A Scan of the Third “Representative Corridor” of the Fourth Session of the 14th National People’s Congress

Reporters from Xinhua News Agency: Wu Yu, Wang Sibei, and Zhang Xiaojie

At around 14:00 on March 12, the third “Representative Corridor” of the fourth session of the 14th National People’s Congress was held in the North Central Hall of the Great Hall of the People. Six National People’s Congress deputies shared stories from their grassroots communities with reporters from both home and abroad, demonstrating their job-fulfilling style and gathering momentum for progress.

“The beauty of Hainan is half in the clear blue sea and blue sky, and half in the tropical rainforests.” The deputy from the Hainan Province’s Baoting Li and Miao Autonomous County, Lü Yan, who took the stage first, brought a story about safeguarding the ecological “foundation” of her beautiful home region.

During this year’s Spring Festival holiday, Baoting County attracted many tourists with its beautiful and distinctive ecological environment. “Love the mountains and the mountains will be loved; protect the waters and the waters will be protected.” She said that a good ecosystem is “a golden bowl.” With this shared protection, fellow villagers have developed forest-based industries, rainforests hot-spring health and wellness programs, rainforests hiking, and more. “It is precisely because we share this commitment that we have a solid ecological foundation.”

Today, the local forest coverage rate remains stable at over 77%, and the proportion of days with good air quality has long stayed above 99%. “In my future work as a deputy, I will continue to act as a guardian and explainer of the ecosystem, and jointly safeguard these mountains and seas and this rainforest with the fellow villagers.” Lü Yan said.

Wang Guodong, deputy to the National People’s Congress and Party secretary of Huzhu Tu Autonomous County in Haidong City, Qinghai Province, shared the new developments and changes in Ban’yan Village.

“‘Ban’yan’ means ‘happiness and prosperity’ in the Tu language. But in the past, it was very poor here—travel was difficult, getting drinking water was difficult, seeing a doctor was difficult, and going to school was difficult.” Wang Guodong said that in 2016 Ban’yan Village implemented centralized resettlement for relocation out of poverty to address poverty through relocation. With support from Party and state policies, they developed distinctive industries; villagers began growing long white scallions from Changbai Mountain, opened farm stays, and the path to prosperity has kept getting wider.

In recent years, the locality has fully tapped the potential of clean energy. A centralized photovoltaic power plant has been built in the new village, forming an integrated microgrid combining “source, grid, load, and storage.” “Villagers can get a dividend of 2,500 yuan per year just from surplus electricity generated by the photovoltaics. Every household has access to natural gas and electric heated kangs, making daily life more convenient by the day,” he said.

“‘Ban’yan’ has become the ‘golden calling card’ of rural revitalization in Qinghai, a role model for the nationwide fight against poverty, and the real, veritable ‘Ban’yan’ of ‘happiness and prosperity.’” Wang Guodong said, his pride evident in every word.

Also bearing witness to the changes in these mountain villages is Xia Hua, deputy to the National People’s Congress and chairman of Yiweng Group. More than 20 years ago, she came to an ethnic village in Qianxinan Prefecture, Guizhou. She was deeply captivated by the exquisite craftsmanship of the embroidery craftswomen. From then on, she became closely connected with the deep mountains of Guizhou, trained local embroidery craftswomen, and explored an industrial path in which the inheritance and innovation of handicraft skills help drive rural revitalization.

“More embroidery craftswomen will have the chance to carry their babies on their backs, embroider flowers, and ‘support themselves, and make their families better off’ right at their doorstep.” Xia Hua said. From the embroidered shoe insoles and wedding garments of the beginning to today’s fashionable clothing, brand bags, and handmade dolls that are highly favored by the market, the lives of the embroidery craftswomen have improved steadily.

This time, deputy Xia Hua also brought suggestions on the digital protection of China’s ethnic patterns and innovative applications. She said she would strive to fully play the role of a deputy, so that more exquisite “skills at one’s fingertips” become vibrant “finger-tip industries,” promoting deep integration between culture and industries and helping the region achieve high-quality economic development.

Rural revitalization is being accelerated through practical work, and Made-in-China is gaining even more confidence through innovation.

“Right now, more than 100 countries and regions around the world are using our products. This is the ‘trust vote’ that the market is giving to Made-in-China through purchase orders,” said Li Gang, a representative engineer at Tianjin Pipe Manufacturing Co., Ltd.

“We have ‘tackled’ a lot of ‘tough nuts’ in major engineering projects in many countries.” He gave examples: deep-sea oil and gas development and application pipes have already achieved independent production. The cost has been reduced to 60% of that of overseas products, the delivery cycle has been cut in half, and it has directly helped bring China’s import rate of oil and gas pipe materials down from 90% to below 30%. These breakthroughs in “choke-point” fields provide a “solid backing” for China’s energy security strategy.

“Going forward, we will continue to strengthen scientific and technological innovation, and with the steel pipes we make, forge the ‘steel spine’ of powerful equipment for a great nation,” Li Gang said resolutely.

Lu Xiaolin, deputy to the National People’s Congress and chairman of Bofakang An Holding Group Co., Ltd., said the company she represents has participated in the construction of multiple overseas engineering projects under the Belt and Road Initiative, and she shared unforgettable experiences building large power plant projects in Southeast Asia.

To install equipment such as 300-ton generators’ stators smoothly, they repeatedly carried out site surveys and solved transportation problems. Faced with challenges such as language barriers between Chinese and foreign engineers and cultural differences, they set up bilingual coordination meetings and “cultural exchange lounges,” strengthened technical cooperation… In the end, the power plant was completed, connected to the grid, and began delivering electricity. Many local employees proudly called it an “energy miracle.”

“Local media reported that Chinese friends didn’t just come with technology and equipment—they also came with a baton of friendship,” said deputy Lu Xiaolin. She hoped that by advancing more and more projects step by step, more Chinese equipment can go global, and the nameplate of Chinese equipment can shine even brighter.

Some people have the grit and drive to “go abroad” with bold determination; others have the resilience to innovate with unwavering commitment.

For nearly 30 years, Jia Shaoqian, deputy to the National People’s Congress and chairman of Hisense Group, has witnessed from beginning to end China’s manufacturing making a historic leap—from trailing, to running alongside, and to leading in some fields. He has come to deeply understand that none of it can be separated from the word “innovation.”

He said that Hisense was the first in the world to roll out three-dimensional color-control display technology, and it reached mass production more than a year earlier than overseas leaders. At Hisense’s Central Air Conditioning “Lighthouse” factory, through deep-level applications of intelligent technologies, product development speed was increased by 37%, production efficiency improved by 49%, production costs were reduced by 35%, and unit energy consumption was lowered by 13%. At Hisense’s world-first television industry “Lighthouse” factory, with the help of AI, one large-screen TV can be custom-produced every 20 seconds.

Jia Shaoqian said, “In the future, Hisense will actively play the role of the enterprise as the main body for scientific and technological innovation, and connect the ‘last mile’ from the ‘lab’ to the ‘production line.’ We will turn more excellent achievements and great ideas from laboratories into excellent products on production lines, so that they can fly into the homes of ordinary people.”

The heartfelt accounts of one deputy after another have come together into an upbeat and enterprising outlook of the new era, inspiring people to carry on their efforts and jointly create an even better future.

(Editor: Wen Jing)

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