Luxembourg retiree witnesses 'tremendous transformation' in rural China

A screenshot shows an article about Nico Hansen, a retired police officer from Luxembourg, published by People's Daily Overseas Edition on Nov. 29, 2025.

On an early winter day in Lianhua village, Nandan county, Hechi city, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nico Hansen, a retired police officer from Luxembourg, stood in an orchard with villagers, sampling passion fruit from trees he had helped plant.

Seven years ago, Hansen took a sightseeing trip to Guangxi. Today, he has established a presence in the northwest corner of the autonomous region, witnessing firsthand the steady progress of China's rural development.

Nico Hansen, a retired police officer from Luxembourg, and Xie Wanju inspect the growth of passion fruit in Nandan county, Hechi city, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. (Photo courtesy of the interviewee)

It all began with a social media recruitment post.

Zhadong village in Hechi's Yizhou district was once a regional-level impoverished village. In 2018, Xie Wanju, then the village's first Party secretary, posted a message on WeChat Moments calling for volunteers to grow passion fruit and help alleviate poverty.

Xie said he never imagined the post would bring him a volunteer who would help the village for free — and also become a lifelong friend.

When a friend showed Hansen the recruitment message and explained its meaning, it sparked his curiosity. "I want to see China's countryside with my own eyes and learn about your work," he messaged Xie.

"I agreed to let Hansen come for two reasons: First, he was willing to volunteer; second, I wanted foreign friends to see that we have the capability and courage to overcome difficulties and develop our village," Xie said.

"He'd only been here a few days, but it felt like he'd lived here for 20 years," Xie recalled. Hansen became Xie's "foreign assistant," working to help villagers escape poverty and pursue prosperity.

During Zhadong village's most challenging years of poverty alleviation, Hansen participated in many memorable projects. The most unforgettable was building a road for three households.

Nico Hansen, a retired police officer from Luxembourg, promotes passion fruit on camera in Nandan county, Hechi city, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. (People's Daily Overseas Edition/Li Weijun)

"That mountain path was extremely steep, even for motorcycles. The poverty of those three families exceeded anything I'd imagined," Hansen recalled.

Short on funds, Xie and Hansen filmed documentaries to seek sponsorship. Short on manpower, they personally carried rebar and hauled stones up the mountain. When the road opened, the three families repeatedly expressed their gratitude to Hansen and the officials involved in the construction.

"In my heart, this is the most beautiful road in the world," Hansen said.

In 2020, Zhadong village successfully lifted itself out of poverty. The village Party branch presented Hansen with a banner acknowledging his selfless dedication. Although he couldn't read Chinese or even pronounce the words "poverty alleviation" in Chinese, Hansen fully grasped that "in this country, whatever the people need, no matter how difficult, must be done — and done well."

Hansen has also embraced local traditions and integrated into daily life. "It wasn't that I chose to serve the villagers here. Rather, the cool mountain breezes attracted me, the local development efforts kept me, and the villagers warmed my heart with their simplicity and warmth," he said.

Not long ago, following local customs, Xie gave Hansen a Chinese name: Xie Wanke. "Sharing the surname 'Xie' means we're family," the official said.

"Being family means I belong to this land — I'm no longer a 'foreigner.' This is the most important ceremony and the greatest honor I could receive in a foreign country," Hansen said.

Today, Xie serves as the first Party secretary stationed in Lianhua village, Nandan county, while Hansen has become a "promotional ambassador" for local specialty products.

Hansen shares products, including golden passion fruit and plums, along with Guangxi's beautiful scenery, on WeChat and overseas social media platforms.

As a result, orders from both domestic and international customers are pouring in, expanding sales channels for fresh fruit and showcasing Guangxi's rural beauty.

Over the past seven years, Hansen has witnessed China's rural development firsthand. In Guangxi, he has seen young people returning home to run B&Bs, host livestreaming sessions and establish farms.

"People here work hard and focus on their lives. Village officials here work hard to help everyone live better. The landscape improves every day — this is real. Chinese people can manage their own affairs well," Hansen said.

"Through our work, we've witnessed the tremendous transformation of China's countryside," Hansen and Xie said, adding that they will continue to dedicate themselves to advancing all-around rural revitalization.