The Xijiang River. [Photo by Miao Xiaojian]

The Strategic Plan for Rural Revitalization in Zhongshan (2018-2022) (hereinafter referred to as the Plan) was issued on October 30 by the Zhongshan Development and Reform Bureau.

According to the Plan, the key tasks of implementing the rural revitalization strategy in Zhongshan include optimizing the pattern of rural revitalization and development, developing the industry of enriching the people and revitalizing villages, promoting the construction of beautiful rural areas, creating a new trend of rural civilization, constructing a new system of rural governance, improving the level of people's livelihood and perfecting the system, mechanism and policy system of promoting the integration of urban and rural development.

For the first time, the Plan proposes to build 3 rural revitalization development belts, thereby displaying Zhongshan's agricultural characteristics, waterside landscape and Xiangshan culture.

The Xijiang Waterside Ecological Revitalization Belt is a demonstration belt connecting Guzhen, Henglan, Dachong, Shaxi, South District, Banfu, Shenwan, Tanzhou and other towns and villages with the Zhongshan water system of the Xijiang River as a link to demonstrate the green development on both sides of the Xijiang River and lead the rural ecological revitalization.

The Jiya-Xiaolan-Hengmen Rural Industrial Revitalization Belt is a rural industrial revitalization demonstration belt, which uses the Jiya Waterway, Xiaolan Waterway and Hengmen Waterway as hubs to connect towns and villages such as Xiaolan, Dongfeng, Nantou, Dongsheng, Fusha, Huangpu, Gangkou, Sanjiao, Minzhong, Nanlang and Torch Development Zone to promote the transformation and upgrading of traditional industrial towns and villages.

The Shiqi-Macao Ancient Road Rural Culture Revitalization Belt is a rural cultural revitalization demonstration belt connecting West District, South District, Wuguishan District, Tanzhou and Sanxiang with the Shiqi-Macao Ancient Road as their hub to perfect relevant supporting facilities and to display modern overseas Chinese culture, red culture and Xiangshan culture.

According to the Plan, 222 villages (communities) with rural collective economy are divided into three types: suburb integration, agglomeration upgrading and feature protection. Village development and construction plans will be formulated according to classification to promote rural revitalization in a reasonable and orderly manner.