Lives of boat people in SE China's Fujian greatly improves

The lives of the "Lianjia boat people" who have lived on boats for generations in Xiaqi village of Ningde city, southeast China's Fujian province, have now greatly improved.

Zheng Yue'e, the Party chief of Xiaqi village, is also a native of the village. She still remembers her childhood days when she lived on a boat. "At that time, I was most afraid of typhoons," Zheng recalled.

She added that "my parents depended on nature for a living. If they could predict a typhoon day correctly, they would drive the boat to the shore as soon as possible before it struck. It would be a little safer. If they could not predict a typhoon day correctly, the family would be stranded in the sea and resigned to fate."

Villagers in Xiaqi village revealed that they used to be envious of the people onshore living in houses with lights, and wondered when they could live like that.

This wish of villagers in Xiaqi came true in 1997. In the three years from 1997 to 1999, Xiaqi village began to build two new villages and six settlement sites.

"In recent years, fishermen have progressed from being engaged in only the fishing industry to joining the aquaculture, marine fishing, business services, and engineering and construction industries. Their income has greatly increased and their lives have become better and better," Zheng said.

The per capita income of villagers in Xiaqi village jumped from less than 1,000 yuan ($ 152.20) in 1997 to 22,814 yuan in 2019, and the village’s income has increased from 0 yuan to 630,000 yuan.