On October 18, the Sino-European Beautiful Rural Forum took place in Deqing County, Huzhou City, Zhejiang Province, under the theme “Together for Rural Development in China, Europe, and America.” Nearly 200 representatives from 11 countries, four international organizations, as well as businesses and NGOs engaged in meaningful discussions.

In his opening remarks, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Ma Youxiang, emphasized that the Chinese government adheres to a systematic approach, drawing from the experiences of the “Ten Million Project.” He highlighted ongoing efforts to enhance livable and business-friendly rural areas, noting positive outcomes in various aspects such as income-generation industries, infrastructure, living conditions, public services, and rural governance. “Creating more vibrant and attractive beautiful villages reflects the people’s aspirations for a better life,” he stated. Ma expressed China’s willingness to deepen dialogue with European nations, uncover the multifaceted values of rural areas, and elevate the level of rural development, aiming to turn this sector into a new growth point for China-Europe cooperation and contribute shared wisdom for global rural development.

Representatives from Germany’s Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture, the Governor of Belgium’s West Flanders Province, and the Director-General of the International Organisation of Vine and Wine, praised China for successfully hosting the forum. They expressed hope that this platform will enhance cooperation in areas such as policymaking, technological innovation, and capacity building, fostering a closer Sino-European agricultural and rural partnership.

The forum included sessions on specialized agricultural industry development, the integration of agriculture and tourism, and the construction of low-carbon villages, featuring an opening ceremony, keynote speeches, thematic discussions, and site visits. It also presented the “Deqing Initiative of the Sino-European Beautiful Rural Forum.”

In recent years, Zhejiang has steadfastly deepened the “Ten Million Project” in the new era, achieving remarkable rural development results. The province has emerged as one of the fastest in agricultural modernization, with dynamic rural economies, beautiful environments, improved farmer livelihoods, and well-coordinated urban-rural areas.

Data indicates that in 2023, the coverage of beautiful villages in Zhejiang reached 25.5%, with rural household waste management achieving “zero growth” and “zero landfill.” Rural sanitary toilet coverage has been completed, placing the province among the leaders in rural living conditions nationwide. This year, Zhejiang also launched three significant actions focused on the renovation of rural houses, streamlining utility lines, and upgrading village roads, striving to establish a “continuously green, scenery-rich rural environment” across the region. The aim is to create a “30-minute public service circle” and a “20-minute healthcare service circle” in rural areas, advancing toward equal access to basic public services between urban and rural settings. A new vision of “thousand villages leading, ten thousand villages thriving, all-round prosperity, and harmonious urban-rural development” is rapidly taking shape.