NPC deputy from E China's Anhui committed to developing rural tourism, tea industry

Early spring is the season for managing tea trees. Wang Jianwei, Party chief of Xiaokeng village, Meicun township, Chizhou city, east China's Anhui Province, was tending tea trees in a tea garden, together with his fellow villagers.

Wang, who is also a deputy to the 14th National People's Congress (NPC), has helped the village develop the tea industry that incorporates farmers' cooperatives, companies, planting bases and tea growers.

Thanks to his efforts, tea processing workshops, which used to be small, have turned into modern tea companies, and the local tea brands have become prominent.

Photo shows Wang Jianwei, a deputy to the 14th National People's Congress (NPC). (People's Daily Online/Wang Rui)

"We've found the key to wealth through the tea industry," Wang introduced.

In 2018, Wang, who was a deputy to the 13th NPC, attended the "two sessions," the annual meetings of China's top legislature and the top political advisory body, for the first time.

During a group discussion attended by deputies from Anhui Province, Wang found answers to his questions regarding the development of the tea industry in his village.

After Wang went back to his village, he established a Xiaokeng green tea brand and tightened quality control for the tea by adopting unified standards, management and publicity.

The tea planting areas in Xiaokeng village have grown to over 5,000 mu (about 333.33 hectares) and annual sales of tea have surpassed 50 million yuan ($7.2 million).

Aerial photo shows Xiaokeng village in Meicun township, Chizhou city, east China's Anhui Province. (People's Daily Online/Wang Rui)

Wang also led efforts to develop rural tourism and red tourism, which refers to visiting historical sites with a modern revolutionary legacy, in Xiaokeng village, as it boasts a very sound ecological environment and rich red tourism resources.

Tea leaves have become a cash cow for villagers in Xiaokeng village, Meicun township, Chizhou city, east China's Anhui Province. (People's Daily Online/Wang Rui)

Re-elected as an NPC deputy, Wang said he plans to continue to make a name for local agricultural brands, promote digital construction and management of his village, and push for rural vitalization based on the conditions of his village.