CPPCC member from Henan makes unremitted efforts to improve ecology of Yellow River
By Gong Jinxing, People’s Daily
It’s the 13th year for Song Fengqiang, a member
of the 11th, 12th, and 13th National Committee of the Chinese People’s
Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), to focus on the Yellow River, the
mother river of China.
This time, Song, president of an agricultural
enterprise in central China’s Henan province, planned to raise three proposals to
the annual session, one of which is about incorporating the development of ecological
tourism into the
overall plan for the high-quality development of the Yellow River.
As the ecological protection and high-quality
development of the Yellow River basin turned into a national strategy of China
last year, how to strike a balance between development and ecological
protection became a major concern of Song. To find the answers, he made
multiple field trips to the villages along the Yellow River.
He said in his proposal that the development
plans of the Yellow River basin shall be jointly made by central ministries and
departments to maximize economic and ecological benefits.
“Lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable
assets.” This concept strikes a chord with the man very much.
“When I was young, the riverside was a vast
expanse of saline-alkali land. In winter, people would collect the alkali in
the frozen soil and sell it for money,” Song said, adding that without effective
control and development, the ecology would only deteriorate.
In recent years, he has conducted many surveys
in river-belt and coastal regions in China. He found that many places had well
protected ecological system while developing tourism and entertainment
industries, which greatly benefited local residents and vitalized local economy.
His friends once told him that it was not wise
to invest in ecological agriculture, but he remained resolute. He devoted over
20 years into the Yellow River, with a strong sense of responsibility and a
firm goal: to improve ecological environment of the riverside and make waters and
mountains lucid and lush.
Thanks to the man’s unremitting efforts, hundreds
of hectares of sand along the Yellow River are now covered by vegetation, and
four tourist attractions of 4A category, the second-highest level in the Chinese
rating system, are established.
On top of that, Song has also built a cherry blossom
park with an area of over 333.33 hectares in Xingyang, where some 80 kinds of sakuras
are cultivated. Driving relevant industries of cherry blossoms, the park is
also boosting local economy and increasing the income for local people.
As the novel coronavirus has taken a heavy toll
on tourism, Song said he prepared another proposal for the National Committee
of the CPPCC suggesting that the government introduce supportive policies to
boost the industry.
“I feel obliged to do so, and I hope to help
more in the tourism industry,” he said.
Mangshan Mountain, lying to the northwest of
Zhengzhou, capital of Henan province, was once barren. To green the mountain,
Song has invested over 100 million yuan ($14 million) in the past decade
planting trees on it. His practice is hailed by many, but some said he was
silly as he could have earned hundreds of millions yuan if he sold the trees.
No matter what other people say, Song always
sticks to his own belief. “I’m not only a farmer-turned-entrepreneur, but also
a member of the CPPCC. It’s my responsibility to do so,” he noted.
Photo taken on April 6 shows the beautiful scenery
of the ecological corridor along the Yellow River of Xin’an county, Luoyang,
Henan province. Photo by Huang Zhengwei/People’s Daily Online
CPPCC member from Henan makes unremitted efforts to improve ecology of Yellow River
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