Focusing on integrating rural industries, ecology, and cultural tourism, Zhangjiagang is now working to make its rural areas beautiful, prosperous, and high-quality.
An aerial view of rural areas in Zhangjiagang. [Photo/WeChat account: zhangjiagangfabu365]
In 2024, the total assets of village-level collectives in the city amounted to 35.2 billion yuan ($4.97 billion). A total of 12 provincial-level characteristic pastoral villages have been established. The average operating income of a village hit 18.03 million yuan, while the per capita disposable income of rural residents reached 49,510 yuan.
Thriving industries are the cornerstone of rural vitalization, and Zhangjiagang is advancing the transformation of rural industries through technological support and the development of industrial clusters.
At Jingang Street's Changxin Innovation Industrial Park, modern factory buildings stand in orderly rows, with automated production lines operating with precision and efficiency. "This area used to be filled with small, scattered factories," said Mr Zhang, a resident who works here. "Today, the park is well-organized, and incomes have increased significantly."
Zhangjiagang is also promoting the integration of agriculture, culture, and tourism. In Fenghuang town's Xiaojia Lane, a distinctive pastoral village, traditional houses harmonize with the natural landscape, and shops such as restaurants and homestays are neatly arranged.
This year, the main cultural and tourism attractions in Fenghuang town welcomed over 1 million visitors, with Xiaojia Lane making up about a third of the total visitor count.
The landscape of the Xiaojia Lane, a distinctive pastoral village in Fenghuang town, Zhangjiagang. [Photo/WeChat account: zhangjiagangfabu365]