Anji County: China's Model for Rural Development and Environmental Protection

What do you need right now? If you ask anyone in Nepal, you will probably get the same answer - development.

But development does not come that easily. We have to pay a heavy price for it. Who understands this best? Our neighboring country China.

Although China has made remarkable progress in development, it has had to pay a heavy price in terms of the environment. That is why it is now changing its development strategy.

Anji County, located in the northern part of China's Zhejiang Province, has become an unparalleled model for rural development and environmental protection not only for the country but for the world. It is considered the birthplace of China's 'Beautiful Rural Development Model'.

Established in 185 AD, this county has a history of over two thousand years. Its name 'Anji' is derived from a word meaning 'beautiful and suitable' mentioned in the ancient Chinese poetry collection 'Book of Songs'. Spread over an area of 1,886 square kilometers, about 460,000 people live in this region. It is China's first nationally recognized Ecological County. It is also the only county in China to be honored by the United Nations UN-Habitat.

Anji County, once covered in dust and pollution from stone mining, has now become China's first national ecological county.

Today, anyone would be mesmerized by the green hills, clear rivers, and blue skies here. But it is hard to imagine what this beautiful place looked like 20 years ago. In the 1990s, the situation here was completely different. Instead of greenery and nature, dust, smoke, and noise reigned here. At that time, the stone mining industry flourished in this area.

The hills here, rich in high-quality limestone, were seen by people as 'mountains of gold'. In this county, with an area of less than 2,000 square kilometers, more than 200 mining companies were in operation. This means there was one mining industry for every eight square kilometers.

While villagers were becoming rich overnight by selling minerals from the mines, they were pushing themselves into a terrible environmental crisis. The hills had become hollow due to continuous exploitation, the river water had become polluted, and the air was mixed with toxic dust.

Frequent accidents in the mines and the deteriorating environment began to alarm the villagers. They realized that this path of economic development was not sustainable. They understood that economic transformation was inevitable. But the problems were not just that. How to close the polluting factories? How to protect nature while securing people's income? These serious questions plunged the entire village into uncertainty.

At the center of this uncertainty and struggle was - Yukun Village. Located at the northern foot of the Tianmu Mountains in Zhejiang Province, this village is now showing the way for the entire country. Its name is derived from 'Yu Ridge', a branch of the Tianmu Mountains, and the 'Yukun Valley' here. Occupying a total area of 4.86 square kilometers, this village has 400 hectares of mountain forest, of which 347 hectares are bamboo groves. With 280 households, about 1,060 people live in this village.

Today, Yukun Village is leading the province and the nation in terms of beautiful rural areas and ecological development. It has received numerous national honors, including the 'Best Tourism Village' from the United Nations World Tourism Organization. Yukun's transformation from a dusty mining village to a model of rural revitalization and green development reflects the high priority China has given to sustainable development over the past two decades.

In 2005, then Provincial Committee Secretary Xi Jinping formulated the historic principle here: 'Clear waters and green mountains are invaluable assets.'

• That Moment of Despair and a Historic Message

It was in 2005. Yukun Village stood at a major crossroads. The last stone mine in the village had just been closed. With the closure of the mine, the villagers were extremely worried about their employment and future. That year, the village's collective income plummeted from 3 million yuan to just 300,000 yuan. Extreme despair gripped the village after the path to becoming rich was closed.

At this very sensitive juncture, on August 15, 2005, Xi Jinping, then Secretary of the Zhejiang Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), visited the village. He gave a powerful and hopeful message to the dejected villagers.

During his meeting with the villagers, Xi praised the decision to close the mine as a 'wise move'. He made a historic statement there that would become the guiding principle of China's environmental policy: 'Clear waters and green mountains are invaluable assets.'

A week after the visit, in an article published in the Zhejiang Daily newspaper, Xi further elaborated on this idea, writing, 'Clear waters and green mountains can truly become invaluable assets by transforming ecological and environmental strengths into the benefits of eco-agriculture, eco-industry, and eco-tourism.'

The per capita income of the villagers has increased sevenfold in 20 years, from 7,000 yuan to over 48,000 yuan.

Fifteen years later, in 2020, Xi Jinping, as Chinese President and General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee, returned to the same county. By then, the saying 'Clear waters and green mountains are invaluable assets' had become a national consensus and a key principle of China's new development philosophy. Addressing the villagers for the second time, Xi said, 'Experience has shown that economic growth that destroys the environment is not sustainable.'

• The Fruits of the Green Revolution: Economy Takes Flight Along with the Environment

Anji County has prioritized green, low-carbon development and environmental protection, transforming its natural assets into real economic and social benefits. With environmental protection as the top priority, the air quality here remains excellent for more than 90 percent of the days in the year. Surface water, drinking water, and transboundary water all consistently meet national quality standards.

Economic data also confirms this success. Over the past 20 years, the average annual per capita disposable income of rural residents in Anji has increased from 7,034 yuan to 48,879 yuan. This is an increase of nearly sevenfold. Anji has proven that sustainable income from protecting nature is more valuable than the temporary money from mining.

Today, more than 70 percent of Anji's land is covered by forests, most of which are bamboo groves. Villages once neglected due to dust and pollution have now become home to pocket parks, hiking trails, open tea shops, and artisanal coffee shops making coffee by hand.

This path of sustainable development was not easy. To achieve green and low-carbon development, Anji sought a path of green development through scientific and technological innovation.

In this process, the county directly rejected 150 large projects that were not environmentally friendly and did not meet standards. This meant losing a significant amount of GDP (Gross Domestic Product). However, the government did not compromise as these high-energy-consuming and high-pollution projects could not meet the local environmental assessment standards.

With the development of coffee shops, trekking trails, and modern facilities in rural areas, more than 50,000 young people and 'digital nomads' have returned to the villages.

Since 2018, the investment review mechanism has been continuously refined, but environmental protection has always remained the most important condition in Anji.

• Youth Return Driven by Bamboo and Tea

The county is balancing economic development and environmental protection. Green development is being vigorously promoted in the fields of agriculture and tourism. For years, Anji has been aggressively developing its bamboo processing industry. Bamboo is utilized to its maximum here. Bamboo utensils, bamboo film bags, and bamboo straws are produced and exported abroad.

In addition, digital tea plantations have achieved dynamic supervision throughout the entire process of white tea production. A group of young people who returned to their villages from the city have brought machinery, science, technology, and digital management to Anji. In 2022, Anji launched the 'Global Partnership Initiative'. Its aim was to attract digital nomads, green startups, and remote workers to live in the county.

To the surprise of local officials, this initiative gained momentum very quickly. By the end of 2024, more than 50,000 young people have come to Anji to start businesses or seek employment opportunities. This wave of young people leaving the cities for the villages has fully revitalized the rural economy.

By rejecting 150 large projects that did not meet environmental standards, Anji has achieved success through a green economy based on bamboo and tea.

Another successful example is Dazhuyuan Village. Located at the southern entrance of Anji's Lingfeng Sub-district, this village is 10 kilometers away from the county center. Anciently known by a different name, this village was named 'Dazhuyuan' (large bamboo garden) after 1949 because of its large bamboo forests. Spread over a total area of 8.7 square kilometers, about 2,093 people live in this village.

In recent years, Dazhuyuan Village has embraced the concept of 'fragrant fields and peaceful life' by adopting a combined strategy of agricultural tourism and cultural tourism. Building on the success of the 'Fragrant Vegetable Land' agricultural initiative, the villagers have increased their revenue streams and launched the innovative 'Rural Dream Factory' brand.

By providing excellent accommodation, nature-based tourism, and authentic cultural experiences rooted in local traditions, this village has received numerous national and provincial honors. By 2025, the village has collected 5.38 million yuan in collective business revenue, and the average farmer's income has reached 63,852 yuan.

• Guiding Principle of the New Era

The 'Two Mountains' theory, which began in this very Yukun Village, has had a far-reaching and profound impact on China's ecological conservation today. Sixteen years later, the saying 'Clear waters and green mountains are gold and silver mountains' has become an important part of 'Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era'. It is widely recognized among the Chinese people and has guided green development efforts in every part of the country.

Facing new circumstances, tasks, and requirements, accelerating the reform of the system for developing ecological civilization and building a beautiful China has become the demand of the times. Anji has proven that sustainable prosperity can only be achieved through coexistence with nature by preventing environmental exploitation.

This story of how a village suffocated by mining dust can become a source of inspiration for the world by choosing the path of nature is an important lesson for developing countries. Anji's model has ushered in a new and golden chapter of green development in the new era.