STORY: Reform propels China's rural areas on path to modernization  
SHOOTING TIME: File
DATELINE: Dec. 22, 2023
LENGTH: 0:01:58
LOCATION: Beijing
CATEGORY: ECONOMY

SHOTLIST:
1. various of China
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): YAN JINCHANG, Farmer
3. SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): SONG CHANGBAO, Villager
4. SOUNDBITE 3 (Chinese): SONG GUANGHUA, Villager

STORYLINE:

Xiaogang Village
Anhui, China

Xiaogang Village is where China's rural reform began 45 years ago.

In the past decade, an array of reform moves have provided further assurance to farmers here and helped accelerate farmland transfer and large-scale farming.

In a major institutional innovation, China has allowed farmers to retain contract rights over their allotted farmland while transferring management rights if they lease the land to others.

SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): YAN JINCHANG, Farmer
"This land of our village is managed by the Beidahuang Group for the building of a modern agricultural planting base, which is running very well. Villagers get a share of the rent. At the same time, they are freed from the land and can run their own businesses. In addition, large-scale farming has amalgamated the scattered lands to develop modern agriculture. So it's a mode that delivers mutual benefit. We welcome and support it very much."

Since 2018, Xiaogang Village has developed about 870 hectares of high-standard farmland by amalgamating small plots of land, 70 percent of which has been transferred for large-scale farming.

China has advanced rural reform across the board in the past decade, making breakthroughs in some key areas.

Houbaligou Village
Shandong, China

In Houbaligou Village, the reform of collective property rights has enabled villagers to hold shares in a cooperative engaged in businesses like real estate, education and commerce.

The village's collective assets ballooned to over 8 billion yuan (about 1.1 billion U.S. dollars) at present from 3.5 billion yuan before the reform, and the incomes of the villages have continued to grow.

SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): SONG CHANGBAO, Villager
"After the reform, villagers have become shareholders. Every family receives dividends."

SOUNDBITE 3 (Chinese): SONG GUANGHUA, Villager
"The elderly residents in Houbaligou Village are leading a happy life. We receive dietary supplements and daily necessities worth 300 yuan (42 USD) every month. We also have dividends. Besides, gifts are handed out to us on every traditional Chinese festival."

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Beijing.
(XHTV)