Meng Aijun watches carefully from the stands as young football players from villages keep the spectators on the edge of their seats at a stadium in Rongjiang County, southwest China's Guizhou Province.
This season marks the latest chapter of China's Village Super League (VSL), a unique event that has garnered significant attention by blending sports with ethnic cultural elements. While the matches are thrilling, Meng's presence is driven by purpose – he is conducting field research for a proposal slated for the upcoming annual session of China's top political advisory body in March.
Meng serves on the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC). In last year's session, he advocated for leveraging traditional culture and intangible cultural heritage to enhance rural sports events, aiming to attract more tourists to Guizhou. Rongjiang alone welcomed nearly 9.26 million tourists last year, a 21% increase year-on-year, generating over 10.6 billion yuan (approximately $1.5 billion) in tourism revenue, up 27% from the previous year. This year, Meng is exploring how the VSL can further support the sustainable development of the local economy.
\"The VSL has gained immense popularity, but we need to explore if this momentum can be sustained. A deeper investigation and continuous efforts are needed,\" Meng stated.
During his research, Meng discovered remarkable changes in Baibei Village in Rongjiang. Once an impoverished area lacking basic amenities like water, electricity, and paved roads a decade ago, Baibei has transformed into a popular tourist destination, partly thanks to VSL events. The village’s success in attracting visitors highlights the potential of culture-led rural development.
Meng believes that integrating sports with traditional culture can be a powerful catalyst for rural revitalization. However, he emphasizes the need for further refinement in this integration. He plans to present new proposals that support the deeper integration of culture, tourism, and the local economy.
Consultation Leads the Way
Meng's proposal sheds light on the crucial role of the CPPCC as an institutional platform for consultative democracy. Comprising members from various political parties, organizations, and societal sectors, the CPPCC is instrumental in steering Chinese modernization.
In 2024, the CPPCC organized 85 events focused on consultation and deliberation across a broad spectrum of issues, including state affairs. These included two special consultation sessions, 17 bi-weekly consultative meetings and remote sessions, and 13 expert consultation meetings.
Zhang Mianzhi, a CPPCC member and doctor at Tianjin Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine Affiliated Hospital, shared his insights from a bi-weekly consultation symposium titled \"Promoting the Inheritance and Innovation of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)\" held on June 14, 2024. During the consultation, Zhang addressed the integration of TCM with Western medicine.
Zhang noted that his proposal sparked extensive discussions among CPPCC members and leaders of relevant ministries and commissions, resulting in numerous practical opinions and suggestions.
Facilitating Modernization
The CPPCC has a track record of facilitating Chinese modernization through effective proposals from its members. For instance, Jiang Ming, a CPPCC member and agricultural expert, proposed the development of high-standard farmlands across the country, particularly in northeastern China, during a bi-weekly consultation in 2023. His proposal received strong support from relevant ministries, leading the Central Rural Work Conference in 2024 to prioritize building high-standard farmland in black soil areas, plain regions, and areas with favorable water conservancy and irrigation conditions in northeast China.
In 2024, Jiang continued his efforts by addressing the protection and utilization of black soil. He conducted visits to over 30 cities and counties in northeastern China, engaging with local technicians and experts. These efforts culminated in another proposal aimed at overcoming challenges in the development of agricultural machinery and equipment in the region, earning praise as one of the top CPPCC proposals of 2024.
These initiatives, along with consultative meetings, research findings, and field studies, showcase the collective strength of CPPCC members in striving to realize the aspirations of the people and enhance their quality of life.
As China approaches the end of the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) period, CPPCC members continue to play a pivotal role in ensuring that the voices of the people are heard and their collective aspirations are woven into the national development strategy.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
