China News Service, Fuzhou, October 23. Topic: Youths from both sides of the strait talk about rural revitalization: returning youths live in symbiosis with the countryside
China News Agency reporter Yan Xu
In Weilin Village, Tong'an Town, Yongtai County, Fuzhou City, the old dilapidated village was given a new look and became a museum of kiwi fruit exhibition and sales and village history.
The facades and courtyards of the old houses have been beautified, a small fitness and leisure park has been built on the hillside, and neat garbage sorting pavilions are scattered throughout the village.
The old appearance of Weilin Village has been changed to a new one. It is due to the fact that Ma Yanbin, chairman of the Talent Committee of the Taiwanese Investment Enterprise Association of Fuzhou, and Dean of the Cross-Strait Integrated Development Research Institute of Sunshine College, invited Taiwanese teachers and Taiwanese architects from mainland universities to form a design team to participate in Yongtai Construction of beautiful villages in the three villages of Weilin, Xi'an and Lankou in Tongan Township of the county.
On the 23rd, as one of the series of activities of the Ninth Strait Youth Festival, the Yongtai Rural Revitalization Symposium for Cross-Strait Youth was held in Fuzhou, Xiamen and Taiwan. Youths from both sides of the strait exchanged experiences through video connections to seek rural development together.
"In the past, blocked traffic has restricted the development of industries; now, Weilin Village is ushering in development opportunities." Ma Yanbin said, "The most important thing for rural revitalization is that people stay and the village has a chance to develop."
In Ma Yanbin's view, rural revitalization on the mainland has given the "Taiwan experience" a new opportunity.
He said that rural revitalization is a new carrier for cross-strait integration and development. Some good practices and detours in the "Taiwan experience" can help the mainland go more smoothly.
Since Yongtai County introduced the Taiwan Open Joint Team to participate in the construction of Songkou Ancient Town in 2014, the cross-strait "township building and township creation" cooperation has continued to "bloom and bear fruit" here. Daxi Village and Yuezhou Village in Songkou Town have become "one-day rural tours" "Popular route.
In Fuzhou, 17 Taiwanese construction industry team organizations such as the Great Taichung Architects Association have been connected, and 10 Taiwan universities such as Taipei University and 52 Taiwanese architect firms (companies) have been connected to more than 30 rural construction projects. Many batches of cross-strait community governance experience exchange activities.
Xie Fangling, a young native of Yongtai who once worked in a big city, has returned to his hometown to start a business in his seventh year.
“In the beginning, we had a learning mentality. We used homestays as a platform to connect young people, old craftsmen, and resources in big cities to explore local handicrafts and export rural culture.” She said.
From decaying ancient dwellings to newly renovated homestays, Li Zhaoju, run by returning youths including Xie Fangling, has become a local “net celebrity check-in point”.
This year, this group launched a "warm ancient town" joint public welfare plan, hoping to further improve Songkou's business format.
Xie Fangling believes that in addition to companionship, the relationship between the returning youth and the village should be symbiotic, so that the revitalization of the village will be sustainable.
How young people work and live after returning home is still a difficult problem.
"Rural revitalization requires the entry of more talents. We have encountered many bottlenecks. We hope that young people on both sides of the strait can communicate and interact more and cross the river together by touching the stones." She said.
The Strait Urban and Rural Development Foundation of Haicang District, Xiamen City, established in 2019, aims to build a platform for cross-strait urban and rural development work exchanges.
In recent years, Li Peizhen, the Secretary-General of the Foundation and a young Taiwanese, has led a group of community builders from Taiwan to be active in the front line of rural revitalization in Haicang District.
In the video link, Li Peizhen said that "Bacon" is a very important concept for community building in Taiwan. At present, the foundation is also launching the "Bacon Project" to renovate villages, so that villagers have the thinking and ability to participate.
"At the same time of hardware transformation, let the villagers put down their hoes and make coffee, and the industry will have the possibility of sustainability." Li Peizhen said that the foundation also participated in the Minning Cooperation, hoping to help villagers in Ningxia nurture social construction and care for the elderly. The abilities of children and out-of-school children have enabled the village to be self-reliant and self-reliant.
“Taiwan’s young people have some advantages in this respect, and they can settle down and take our skills and feelings in one place.” Li Peizhen said that in recent years, whether it is the “31 measures” introduced by the mainland or the “66 measures” implemented by Fujian Province. "Opinions" all allow Taiwanese youth to enjoy the same treatment, which helps their abilities and expertise to be brought into full play here.
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