Lion dance performance in Langzhong (Photo/Xinhua)

The county-level cities in southwest China’s Sichuan province have developed quickly in recent years. The number of the counties with a GDP of over 10 billion Yuan increased from 22 to 118 in the past five years. Together, they contributed 95.1 percent to the provincial economic growth.

Dongpo district of Meishan, central Sichuan, is known for pickled vegetables. Last year, a local company named Ancient Container Food, sold 20,000 tons of pickled vegetables, which brought in an income of more than 100 million Yuan.

The company began to produce pickled food on a large scale and build its own brand seven years ago. Supported by local government, it is now establishing a training school to teach manufacturing techniques. The pickled vegetables have become a source of revenue for the Dongpo district.

Lang Zhong is an ancient city with rich tourism resources. The city is famous for its folklore performances such as shadow play. Last year, it received 12.1 million domestic and foreign tourists, and achieved tourism earnings of 13.3 billion yuan.

Sichuan has 183 counties and districts with various geologic features and natural resources, said an official with the development and reform commission in Sichuan. It is necessary to promote a high-quality economy based on the local conditions.