Shen Aihong, born in 1974, has recently been serving a temporary position of deputy commissioner of the Qianxinan Buyi and Miao Autonomous Prefecture in the southwestern province of Guizhou starting from last October. This tenure is a secondment for gaining experience for her official position as vice chair of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) Committee of Yinchuan, capital of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. Shen is also a member of the CPPCC National Committee, the top political advisory body.

Drawing from her experience in Ningxia, where choy sum farming has flourished since 2006, Shen proposed that the CPPCC Ningxia Committee take the lead in establishing a platform to connect Ningxia-based businesses with opportunities in choy sum cultivation and other agricultural projects in Qianxinan.

This initiative aims to strengthen agricultural collaboration and foster mutual development between the two regions, leveraging their respective strengths to address the existing challenges and unlock new opportunities in the agricultural sector.

"As a member of the CPPCC, prioritizing the wellbeing of the people is paramount, regardless of the official role I hold. This means tuning into what people hope for and need, seeking out solutions, exploring new directions, and addressing their concerns," Shen told Beijing Review.

She pointed out that beyond the natural advantages of a favorable climate, abundant labor and supportive government policies, Qianxinan possesses distinct benefits that elevate its choy sum production.

Qianxinan's thoughtful land management strategy, which alternates between vegetable and grain crops, has expanded its choy sum cultivation area to more than 2,300 hectares in 2023, with the potential to expand to more than 3,300 hectares. This growth has positioned Qianxinan as the leading choy sum producer in Guizhou and a crucial vegetable supplier for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

Shen also highlighted the challenges facing the choy sum sector in Qianxinan, such as the need for more developed businesses, the slow pace of new variety selection and breeding, and the reliance on traditional cultivation techniques.

In her view, Qianxinan is in a crucial phase in which it aims to both solidify the progress made in poverty alleviation and seamlessly transition into rural revitalization. "Lending support to agricultural development in this pivotal time is a duty I embrace both as a CPPCC member and as an official on a temporary assignment," Shen added.

From January 15 to 17, a diverse 25-member delegation, comprising technical specialists, agricultural and livestock sector officials, as well as executives from the Ningxia Vegetable Industry Federation visited Qianxinan. Their objective was to find ways to work together to enhance vegetable supply chains for the Greater Bay Area, the Chinese Government's scheme to create an integrated economic and business hub.

During an intensive three-day tour, the delegation's dialogue with local authorities and stakeholders centered on a trio of critical areas: elevating winter vegetable production, refining sales tactics and cultivating brand identity.

The scope of their inquiry extended beyond the confines of Shen's report, delving into the realm of beef cattle farming—another industry poised to capitalize on the complementary strengths of the two regions. Furthermore, the team sought ways for the region to develop by combining agriculture with culture and tourism, and aimed to devise collaborative strategies and formalize cooperation frameworks.

"I will stay attuned to future developments and continue to leverage my position as a CPPCC member to foster the collaboration between the two regions," Shen said.

(Print Edition Title: Connecting the Country)

Copyedited by G.P. Wilson

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