Category: Business and Economy

 

 

 

 

By Emeka Samuel, Uyo

The Director, Centre for Wetlands and Waste Management Studies, University of Uyo, Prof. Gabriel Umoh, has tasked the National Environmental Standards and Regulation Enforcement Agency to wake up and implement all existing environmental laws.

Umoh, a professor of Agriculture and Development Economics of the University, stated this on Wednesday while addressing newsmen in commemoration of  World
Environment Day in Uyo, with the theme “Beat Air Pollution”.

He said there are enough laws and guidelines serving as a framework against air pollution but the various regulatory agencies have not shown enough evidence of implementing them for the safety of all.

“In Nigeria there are laws and guidelines that are expected
to be a framework for guiding against air pollution. For Instance, the National Environmental Standards and Regulation Enforcement Agency has been established with the national guidelines and standards for
environmental pollution and control in Nigeria”.

“Section 4.14 subsection 1 of the National policy on the environment makes for the complete utilization of produce associated gas to reduce gas flaring and production of greenhouse gases in line with this policy. This policy is in place but till now the oil and gas industries are still flaring gas”.

“This calls for immediate steps to be taken by the regulatory authorities to bring the operators of Oil and Gas sector to conform and comply with the policy.
“Some of these operators are multinational companies operating in other countries and they obey the rules and laws in those countries. But I think the problem here in Nigeria is enforcement. And this should serve as a wakeup call on NESREA and other agencies to effectively enforce the existing laws”.

He called on the state government and corporate organisations in the country to support the centre which he said has yet to come up with the requisite technology that would move waste management from the level of collection, conveyance and dumping at dumpsites to such a way that they don’t end up polluting the environment the more.

“The research centre like Wetlands and the Waste Management Studies Centre University of Uyo, needs the support of not only the University authority but government and development partners in collaborations with other agencies so that we can come up with technology that can
reduce the waste and air pollution that we have in Nigeria”.He said.

Dr Kingsley Osagie, Senior Consultant Pulmunologist, National Hospital Abuja, has appealed to the Federal Government to enact laws that will enhance safe practices and protect the environment from air pollution.

Osagie made the call in an interview with Day Break on Wednesday in Abuja as Nigeria joins the world to mark the World Environment Day (WED) on June 5, with the theme: “Air pollution”.

Osagie condemned both environmental and air pollution in the country and blamed it on unwholesome practices such as cigarette smoking and industrial emissions.

He said that fumes emanating from industrial activities were also inimical to healthy living.

He urged the government to sign the Tobacco Control Bill to make the Anti Tobacco Act recently signed into law operational to curb the high rate of smoking.

The consultant also frowned at the increasing number of smokers in the country, noting that in the process of smoking, “at least 7,000 chemicals are released into the air”.

According to him, 70 of the chemicals have been proven to be cancer-related.

The consultant also harped on the improvement of building code in order to make the environment cleaner.

Osagie encouraged management of cement and quary industries or factories to manage their emissions responsibly to avoid pollutions and attendant health hazards.

He cited other forms of air pollution in the country posing health risk on the populace to include dumping of refuse on sewage system, cooking with firewood and kerosene stoves, emission from car exhaust among others.

“In Nigeria, we have a lot of pressure sites. Recently, we heard about the soot in Port Harcourt where people wake up in the morning to find the whole environment black.

“The quarry sites like the one in Ugboko, you can hardly breathe in the air there. Different Quarry sites like Obajana in Kogi, the cars on the roads emit all sorts of fumes due to poor exhaust thereby polluting the air we breath in.

“So this environmental pollution or air pollution increases incidence of diseases like bronchial asthma, chronic obstructive airway disease, lung and skin cancers because the pollutants affect almost all parts of the body.

“We must do advocacy to individuals, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), government, private sector among others to raise awareness to save this environment and to save ourselves. We must act responsible to save ourselves,” he advised.

Osagie said the WED celebrated every year on June 5 globally was the United Nation’s principal vehicle for encouraging awareness and action for the protection of the environment.

According to him, it is established to encourage individuals, private organisations, Ministries, Department and Agencies (MDAs), governments and CSOs to take responsible actions to protect the environment for the betterment of the populace.

He emphasised that the theme for the year dealing on air pollution was selected to curb the rate of pollution currently ravaging the world.

“We cannot stop breathing but we can do something about the quality of air that we breath,” he said.

“The theme is very important because majority of the people worldwide that is between 92 per cent to 95 per cent don’t breathe in clean air, apart from that, a lot of deaths are also being recorded from air pollution.

“According to the UN, over seven million deaths are related to this poor environmental concern. Most of these deaths occurs in the Asian countries.

“Even the environment in Africa is changing because human activities here is also affecting the environment,”he said.

Mrs Chijioke Ugochukwu, Executive Director, Shared Services, Fidelity Bank Plc, on Tuesday in Lagos said that the bank was poised to assist SMEs to establish and deepen their online visibility to grow their businesses.

Represented by the Divisional Head, Managed SMEs, Mr Osaigbovo Omorogbe, Ugochukwu said that the gesture was consistent with the bank’s larger mission of making financial services easy and accessible to customers.

The director added that in pursuance of its commitment to help MSMEs build capacity, the bank recently entered into a partnership with WhoGoHost, a technology company.

“The partnership will provide value-added, significantly discounted offerings (websites and hosting) to small business owners who subscribe to the bank’s tailored SME banking products and services.

“Indeed, as an SME focused bank, we are happy to create yet again, another sustainable, low cost platform to help SMEs establish and deepen their online visibility in pursuit of sustained growth for their businesses,’’ Ugochukwu said.

Mr Toba Obaniyi, CEO, WhoGoHost, said that he was delighted to partner with Fidelity Bank in assisting SMEs have online visibility to grow their businesses.

Obaniyi said that the partnership was tailored with support channels that would be of immense benefit to SMEs who keyed to it.

The CEO noted that having an online presence in the contemporary business environment was critical to the success of any business.

According to him, Fidelity Bank is a pacesetter in SME development because of their passion to see SMEs succeed.

He noted that the probable reason SMEs fail to take advantage of the online space was due to ignorance or the fear of being swindled.

The CEO appealed to SMEs to take advantage of the commitment and honesty in the partnership between Fidelity Bank and his company, to explore the benefits of being in the online space.

“Being online is actually critical to SMEs business successes.

“It ensures that businesses continue to stay in business.

“We have seen companies who fail because they are driven out of business for lack of innovation,’’ Obaniyi said.

He hoped to see more businesses in the online space in 10 years from now.

Day Break reports that Fidelity Bank’s SME forum is held monthly to build the capacity of SMEs and to position them for global competitiveness.

 

By Li Hui

 

Chinese President Xi Jinping will pay a state visit to Russia and attend the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. It will be the eighth visit of President Xi to Russia since 2013.

 

This year  is a historic milestone for China-Russia relations as it marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. 2019 is also the tenth year since I assumed position as Chinese Ambassador to Russia.

 

It has been an honor of me to witness multiple highlights of the development of bilateral relations during the past decade though this period only accounts for one-seventh of the seventy-year history of China-Russia relations.

 

At present, China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of cooperation is at the best time of history. Over the past years, the two countries have seen frequent high-level exchanges, deepening political mutual trust, increasing bilateral trade volume and various people-to-people and cultural exchanges.

 

The head-of-state diplomacy between the two countries was a major highlight among these interactions. President Xi and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin have met each other for 30 times from President Xi’s state visit to Russia for the first time in March, 2013 to President Putin’s attendance at the Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation this April.

 

The high-frequent exchanges between the two heads of state, which is hardly seen in any other relations between major countries, have not only written a new chapter of China-Russia head-of-state diplomacy, but also led bilateral relations into the best time of history.

 

As Chinese Ambassador to Russia, I’m honored to be a part of all mutual visits between President Xi and President Putin. I’ll never forget all those significant moments of China-Russia relations.

 

President Putin was the first head of a foreign country to congratulate General Secretary Xi after the latter was elected the Chinese President in March, 2013. Russia was also the first foreign country that President Xi visited. He was welcomed with a grand ceremony, including the deployment of a presidential cavalry unit outside the Grand Kremlin Palace, which was the first time in Russian history.

 

During an eight-hour meeting, President Xi and President Putin reached important consensus to translate advantages of high-level political relations between the two countries into tangible outcomes, guiding bilateral relations for long-term, healthy, and stable development.

 

In 2015, President Xi went to Russia to attend the 70th victory anniversary of Great Patriotic War and President Putin came to China to attend the commemorative events marking the 70th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War.

 

At the celebration held at the Red Square, President Putin left the seat by his right, the most honorable place, to President Xi, and the Combined Honor Guard of the People’s Liberation Army was arranged to cap off the performance of foreign phalanxes.

 

The two heads of state demonstrated with actions that China and Russia are committed to safeguarding the victory of the World War Ⅱ and the post-war international order with the United Nations at the core.

 

Then In July 2017, President Xi paid a state visit to Russia. During his stay, President Putin presented him the Order of St. Andrew the Apostle, one of Russia’s highest honors, in the Kremlin. One year later, President Xi awarded President Putin with China’s first-ever Friendship Medal at Great Hall of the People.

 

I could remember a host of such precious moments. President Xi went to Sochi to attend and congratulate on the opening ceremony of the 22nd Winter Olympics. President Putin went to Beijing twice to attend the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, showing his support for the Belt and Road construction.

 

The list goes on and on. President Xi gave a birthday cake in person to President Putin at the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting held in Bali. The two heads of state also jointly visited student representatives survived in the earthquake of southwestern China’s Sichuan province, as well as the Russian teachers and classmates who once helped the Chinese students at the Ocean All-Russia Children’s Care Center in Vladivostok.

 

Through mutual support and sincere exchanges, the friendship between the two heads of state and between the two peoples has been increasingly enhanced.

 

At the same time, the two countries have also witnessed deepening strategic coordination and strengthened practical cooperation.

 

Under the guidance of President Xi and President Putin, China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of cooperation has achieved constant progress, opening up and golden era of the relations between the two countries.

 

It has been a privilege for me to have the opportunity to witness and contribute to the golden era of China-Russia relations!

 

I believe that at a new staring point of the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Russia, this golden era will be more shining under the guidance of the two heads of state.

 

(The author is the Chinese Ambassador to Russia)

 

 

 

 

By Zhang Xiaodong, Yin Xinyu, People’s Daily

 

China Railway Construction Corporation Limited (CRCC) has greatly advanced the metro construction in Moscow as they conquered challenges one after another and made constant progress, said a Russian scholar at a recent forum commemorating the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Russia.

 

The Russian scholar Isaev Alexander Sergeevich, a senior research fellow of the Institute of Far Eastern Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IFES RAS), noted that Moscow has a grand planning for metro construction but suffered insufficient capabilities, and the new technologies and equipment brought by the Chinese experts and technicians have well met the urgent demand of the Russian side.

 

It is a tangible measure that explains why China-Russia relations have won wide supports, Sergeevich said.

 

The tunnel between Vernadskyi Prospekt and Michurinskyi Prospekt stations of a Moscow metro line undertaken by CRCC was recently holed through. “This is the first time for a Chinese company to build a metro line in Moscow,” said Mayor of Moscow Sergei Sobyanin when inspecting the construction site.

 

“The metro line will effectively ease the traffic pressure of the capital and bring more convenience to the people upon completion,” the mayor said.

 

Commenced from last June, the tunnel project features complicated procedures, and the soil strata are different from those in China. Besides, it crosses through a large number of buildings, with severe challenges posed by underneath stations, rivers, as well as the record-setting heavy snowfalls in Moscow.

 

Completing the task in such an environment, the Chinese construction team showcased the high performance of the Chinese equipment and their outstanding skills and management.

 

Moscow metro is one of the world’s busiest metro systems, transporting more than eight million passengers each day.

 

The bid to build a 4.6-km section of the “Large Circle Line” in Moscow was won by the CRCC two years ago. It marked the first time for Russia to introduce a Chinese company for a metro line project, and also the first project ever in Europe undertaken by a Chinese construction team with Chinese technology and equipment.

 

“The Chinese company brought advanced technology and experiences to us,” said Deputy Mayor of Moscow Marat Khusnullin. He also praised Chinese constructors for their excellent performance in constructing several complicated sections of the metro line.

 

The CRCC has more than 1,000 managing staff and workers at the project site, and about half of them are Russians.

 

“Many Chinese students studied subway construction in Soviet Union in early 1950s and Soviet experts helped design the first metro line in Beijing. We are now working at the home of our ‘teachers’,” said Xue Liqiang, the manager of the CRCC subway project in Moscow.

 

China and Russia expanded their cooperation as the project progressed. The CRCC Russia led and completed the design of three metro stations last February, and the design plan was approved by Russia’s national accreditation commission, the country’s top design management agency.

 

In the plan, the Michurinskyi station, which is hailed as “the most beautiful underground palace”, is designed in Chinese style featuring plum blossoms, cloud patterns and Chinese red color. The design and managing team of the CRCC studied Moscow’s metro design codes, and made the sketched constructions with Chinese characteristics under the cooperation with the Beijing Urban Engineering Design & Research Institute Co., Ltd.

 

“The project combines China’s advanced technologies and Russia’s outstanding designing technics. It promotes mutual learning of both sides, and enhances the capability of engineering design and management,” said CRCC Russia chairman Meng Tao.

 

“Chinese companies are both a constructor and a major cooperative partner of Moscow. Russia and China still have a large space for cooperation in such projects as auxiliary facilities along the Moscow River, old industrial zones upgrading and the construction of new urban area,” said Khusnullin.

 

“It’s hoped that Russia can have more cooperation with its Chinese partners and continuously inject vitality to the common development of both sides,” the deputy mayor said.

 

Philip Xue is a frequent flyer to Dubai from Beijing. In his eyes, Dubai is a city that surprises him every time.

 

“Dubai gives me a different impression every time, even if it has not been long,” the twenty something white-collar worker told the Global Times on May 29.

 

“I can often see new construction completed and new construction starts. Dubai is becoming more and more tolerant as you can work and communicate with people from all over the world,” he said.

 

Dubai, one of the seven emirates comprising the United Arab Emirates (UAE), has seen soaring numbers of tourists from China in recent years after the UAE announced it would grant visa-free entry for Chinese citizens.

 

According to local tourism bureau data, the number of Chinese tourists who visited Dubai in 2018 reached 875,000, a year-on-year increase of 12 percent.

 

China is the fourth-largest source of visitors, following India, with more than 2 million visitors, Saudi Arabia and Britain.

 

In order to better attract Chinese tourists, Dubai has established strategic partnerships with brands such as Huawei, Tencent, Fliggy, Alipay and Ctrip to launch digital services to enhance the tourist experience of Chinese tourists in the city.

 

With the support of the government, Alipay can be found everywhere in Dubai, including malls, cafes, restaurants and major attractions.

 

Visitors can scan a QR code to automatically convert to payment in renminbi, China’s currency, according to the day’s exchange rate.

 

In July 2018, China and the UAE pledged to boost bilateral cooperation under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative as they agreed to lift bilateral relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership.

 

China maintained its position as Dubai’s biggest trade partner in the first half of 2018 with a total trade volume of 69 billion dirham ($18.8 billion), Xinhua News Agency said, citing local media.

 

Steen Jakobsen, assistant vice president of Dubai Business Events (DBE), said that Dubai was the fourth most-visited city in 2018, with 15.9 million international overnight visitors and almost 117,000 hotel rooms booked.

 

According to its tourism strategy, the city hopes to attract 25 million visitors per year by 2025 and to become the top destination for global travel, business and events.

 

DBE, the city’s official convention bureau, secured a total of 261 successful bids for meetings, conferences and incentives in 2018, which are set to attract an additional 153,640 delegates to Dubai over the coming years, according to a note sent to the Global Times.

 

The bureaus said the number of event bids won represents a 24-percent increase from 2017 and will deliver an estimated economic impact of approximately 1.2 billion dirhams to the city.

 

This success also marks a 62-percent increase from the previous year in the number of delegates set to visit Dubai based on event bids won, signifying a shift toward larger-scale events and further cementing the emirate as an attractive global business destination.

 

Reuters reported on May 27 that Dubai could attract 11 million foreign visitors to the Expo 2020 world fair, with overseas visitors accounting for almost 71 percent of the total expected at the event.

 

Expo 2020, which starts in October 2020 and runs for six months, is expected to add 122.6 billion dirhams to the UAE’s economy between 2013 and 2031, Reuters said, quoting a study conducted by consultancy EY.

 

However, the sun-soaked city in the Gulf is trying to present a new look to the world, from a global tourism and events destination to a smart city.

 

Lorne Riley, director of corporate communications with Dubai Airports, said technology and environment are key considerations in the airport construction, and technology will be at the core of these changes, such as smart gates to reduce transaction times from minutes to seconds on average across the airport.

 

Smart Dubai, a technology-supported transformation project, has a vision to make Dubai the “happiest city on Earth” as the city has been leading technological innovation in government for over a decade. The department is working to transfer 100 percent of the government’s applicable internal transactions and public services to digital platforms by December 12, 2021, according to a note sent to the Global Times.

 

The department said its goal is to leverage emerging technologies such as block chain, artificial intelligence, Internet of Things and open data sharing to continue to increase the efficiency of government services to create a better experience in the city and expand this framework to the private sector so that all residents, business owners, city leaders and even tourists can benefit.

 

Source：Global Times

The Executive-Vice Chairman of the Techno Oil Group, Mrs Nkechi Obi says that, the new Federal Government policy of removing ownership of LPG cylinders from consumers will unlock the potential of Nigeria’s gas sector and accelerate the cooking gas adoption drive.

She made the statement in an interview with Day Break in Lagos on Monday.

Obi was reacting to the announcement by government that ownership of cylinders by consumers would no longer be allowed.

She said that the policy of discouraging cylinder ownership would unlock the economic potential of Nigeria’s 202 trillion cubic feet gas reserve to the fullest.

According to her, if strictly enforced, the policy will turnaround the economy and position Nigeria to exploit various opportunities in the gas industry.

Obi, who has been a long standing advocate of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) adoption, described the cylinder ownership arrangement as a model that could yield numerous dividends.

She noted that many countries in West Africa had since adopted the policy, citing Ghana in particular.

On May 21, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr Ibe Kachikwu, announced that “ownership of cooking gas cylinders will henceforth, rest strictly on dealers and distributors.’’

He said that government would clamp down on roadside LPG dealers, advising the dealers to convert their outlets to micro-distribution centres before the commencement of the policy but did not state the exact time of the commencement of the new policy.

According to Obi, exploiting Nigeria’s gas resources will re-energize the economy and boost the nation’s sagging gross domestic product.

She listed the advantages of embracing LPG in a country with a huge population such as Nigeria, saying that the economy would be better for it in the short and long run.

The industrialist noted, however, that government should take urgent steps to stop the importation of fake and sub-standard LPG cylinders by unscrupulous people.

Obi also harped on the need to likewise clamp down on people fabricating sub-standard cylinders locally and overseas, to ensure safety of cylinder users and protect local cylinder manufacturing outfits.

The Techno Oil chief, similarly, appealed to the Federal Government to support local manufacturers with grants and incentives to encourage affordability and sustainability of the LPG adoption scheme.

According to her, Nigerian investors have taken up the challenge of manufacturing world-class LPG cylinders locally, in line with the local content drive of the Federal Government.

Obi re-stated that Techno Oil Group had since unveiled its LPG cylinders, manufactured at the company’s plant in Lagos.

She explained that the plant, with its annual five million cylinder production capacity was ranking as the biggest LPG cylinder manufacturing plant in West Africa.

Obi disclosed that the plant was also capable of manufacturing enough cylinders to meet local needs and enough for export in the near future.

According to her, the Techno Gas cylinder brand, which she said, has secured all necessary certifications by various agencies, including the Standards Organisation of Nigeria, is made to suit the Nigerian environment.

Obi disclosed further that market intelligence had revealed that the Techno Oil cylinder brand was doing well as buyers’ choice, noting that the reason was not unconnected with safety and durability considerations in the making of the cylinders.

President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday in Abuja signed the 2019 Appropriation Bill of N8.92 trillion.

The president submitted the budget of N8.83trillion to the Senate but it was increased by about N10 billion by the Upper House, bringing the amount to N8.92trillion.

Day Break reports that the dignitaries who witnessed the ceremony at the mini-conference hall of the president’s, included the Senate President Bukola Saraki and the Speaker of the House of Representatives,Yakubu Dogara.

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha and the Chief of Staff to the President, Malam Abba Kyari also witnessed the signing of the budget.

Others at the event were the ministers of Finance (Zainab Ahmed), Budget and National Planning (Udoma Udo Udoma), Information and Culture (Lai Mohammed) and the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, Sen. Danjuma Goje,

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Sen. Ita Enang and his counterpart for the House of Representatives, Umar El-Yakub, were also at the event.

On June 6, 2018, Buhari signed the 2018 appropriation bill of N9.120 trillion into law.

Udoma said after the signing of the law that the budget would help the president to consolidate the achievements of previous budgets and deliver on Nigeria’s Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) 2017-2020.

He expressed satisfaction with the implementation of the 2017 budget, which saw the N1.5 trillion implementation of capital projects during the 2017 fiscal year.

He said the government would work hard to recreate the same achievement and generate the revenues required to finance projects and programmes that would significantly improve the economy.

NAN also reports that during the signing of the 2018 bill, the president further noted, with dismay, the cuts made by the National Assembly to the bill he originally presented.

He said the legislature made cuts amounting to N347 billion in the allocations to 4,700 projects submitted to them for consideration and introduced 6,403 projects of their own amounting to N578 billion.

The president said he only signed the bill because he did not want to further slow down the pace of recovery of Nigeria’s economy and further disclosed that he would send “a supplementary and/or amendment budget” to the National Assembly to rectify the critical issues he raised.

Coca-Cola has been ranked as the fourth most admired brand in Africa’s Best 100 Brands Awards.

Head of Communications, Southern and East Africa Camilla Osborne, made the disclosure on Monday.

Osborne said that Coca-Cola was the only food and beverage brand ranked in the top five most admired brands in Africa, based on the opinions spontaneously recalled by consumers.

She said that the brand was also named category leader for non-alcoholic beverages, ahead of Pepsi Cola and Fanta.

“In total, three of the company’s brands appeared in the top 100 brands across the continent – Coca-Cola, Fanta and Sprite.

“A large part of building brands that people love, is following our values and working towards solutions that benefit everyone.

“To help solve many of the world’s challenges, we apply a few foundational principles to make measurable, meaningful differences,” Osborne said in a statement.

She noted that Coca-Cola Company has over 30 established brands in its portfolio in Africa and is evolving its business to become a total beverage company, offering a diverse and growing portfolio of beverage choices across Africa.

“The Coca-Cola Company brings together people, brands and beverages to make life’s everyday moments more enjoyable, while doing business the right way, not just the easy way.

“The result is shared opportunity for our communities and stakeholders while building a Total Beverage Company with local roots in each of the markets we operate in,” she said.

Osborne said that the company through innovative thinking, collaboration and doing business the right way unlock growth, build strong brands and create shared opportunities across the continent.

Day Break reports that Brand Africa 100 ranking is based on a survey among consumers 18 years and older, conducted across 23 countries across Africa.

It covers all African economic regions and collectively account for 80 per cent of the population and GDP of Africa.

The Coca-Cola Company is a total beverage company, offering over 500 brands in more than 200 countries and territories.

It is constantly transforming its portfolio, from reducing sugar in its drinks to bringing innovative new products to market and also working to reduce its environmental impact by replenishing water and promoting recycling.

With its bottling partners, Coca-Cola employ more than 700,000 people, and helps to bring economic opportunity to local communities worldwide.

 

 

 

By Zhu Juan from People’s Daily

 

China’s rural areas enjoy great market potential as the country has put more emphasis on the development of rural areas.

 

Chen Lixian, head of a poverty alleviation service station in Fengqiao village of Lu’an city, east China’s Anhui province, is a beneficiary of e-commerce.

 

“I can sell about 70,000 yuan worth of local specialty products for villagers in one year,” Chen said as she was uploading information of bean vermicelli, eggs, dried noodles and other products sent by villagers on an e-commerce platform.

 

Data shows that in the first quarter of this year, online retail sales across China’s rural areas reached 357 billion yuan, up 19.5 percent year on year, 4.2 percentage points higher than the national growth rate.

 

Short-distance trips to villages for idyllic beauty have become an important option for urban residents during holidays, according to the country’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

 

During the Labor Day holiday this year, Qianyang village in Dezhou, east China’s Shandong province became a popular destination for visitors from urban areas due to its picturesque scenery and delicious food. For urban people, the colorful slideways, beautiful flowers and sites filled with farm implements are very attractive.

 

E-commerce and tourism in rural areas have thrived. As China increases policy support to strengthen agriculture, benefit farmers, and enrich rural areas, the pace of urban-rural integration has been accelerated, and consumption potential in rural areas has been further released. The rural market has become an important highlight in expanding domestic demand.

 

Stable investment in rural areas has been ensured. In the first quarter of this year, the fixed assets investment in the primary industry in China was 240.8 billion yuan, up 3 percent year on year.

 

To improve rural living environments, the country allocated 7 billion yuan to advance the “toilet revolution” in rural areas this year. It has also spent 3 billion yuan to improve rural living conditions in the central and western regions.

 

Consumption potential in rural areas has been further released as the market environment continues to improve, and new types of business such as e-commerce thrive in rural areas.

 

In the first three months of this year, the retail sales of consumer goods in rural areas increased by 9.2 percent year on year, 1.0 percentage point higher than that in the urban market. The retail sales of rural consumer goods accounted for 14.7 percent of the total retail sales of consumer goods, an increase of 0.1 percentage point over the same period of the previous year.

 

To achieve the first centenary goal on schedule and embark on the journey toward the second centenary goal, the most arduous task lies in rural areas, but the most extensive and profound foundation as well as the greatest potential also lie in rural areas.

 

For a major developing country like China, domestic demand is still the most important economic driver. The vast rural market with great dynamism and potential is crucial to expanding domestic demand and maintaining stable economic performance.

 

To unleash the potential, China needs to develop and strengthen rural industries and increase farmers’ income through multiple channels.

 

Thanks to the integrated development of the primary, secondary, and tertiary industries in rural areas, famers now earn more. In the first quarter of this year, the per capita disposable income of rural residents increased by 6.9 percent, continuing to maintain a medium-high rate of growth.

 

With the deepening of supply-side structural reform in agriculture, the upgrading of industrial structure and the vigorous development of various new industries and new businesses in rural areas, the country will continue to increase farmers’ income in the foreseeable future, said Zhao Changbao, deputy director of the policy and reform department under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs.

 

The release of potential is inseparable from the continuous improvement in infrastructure and living environments in rural areas.

 

Huamao village in Zunyi, southwest China’s Guizhou province now has access to stable electricity thanks to the new round of rural power grid upgrading.

 

Numerous rural roads have been built in villages. By the end of 2018, tarmac and cement roads had been paved in 99.64 percent of towns and townships and 99.47 percent of administrative villages. The internet penetration rate was 38.4 percent in rural areas, with 222 million netizens in 2018.

 

In rural areas, China has also improved garbage and sewage treatment, ensured access to safe drinking water, improved logistics networks and renovated dilapidated houses. Today, many rural areas have become more beautiful and become backyards of cities.

 

To unleash the potential, China needs to comprehensively improve public services and enable farmers to feel more satisfied.

 

China has moved faster to improve conditions in rural schools and enhanced the building of rural teacher teams. The country also worked to ensure that all newly added government subsidies for basic public health service expenditures are used for villages and communities.

 

In addition, China has increased the minimum basic aged-care pension benefits for rural and non-working urban residents from 70 to 88 yuan per person per month.

With these efforts, the country has eased the burden on hundreds of millions of farmers heading for a moderately prosperous society.