Editor’s Note：As Chinese President Xi Jinping has stressed that solving issues related to agriculture, rural areas and farmers is the top priority for the CPC, the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) for agricultural and rural modernization will be released soon emphasizing promoting agricultural technology, rural industry and the supply of major agricultural products. Besides, more practices on the rural revitalization have been conducted to boost the rural economy in Zhejiang. Today’s Zhejiang Highlights will focus on the rural issues, and Zhejiang’s oversea digital trade fair as well as entrepreneurship cultivation.

1.Agricultural plan to be released soon

The 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) for agricultural and rural modernization will be released soon following its approval by the State Council, China's Cabinet, on Nov 2, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs said on Wednesday.

Vice-Minister for Agriculture and Rural Affairs Deng Xiaogang said the plan will focus on promoting agricultural technology, rural industry and the supply of major agricultural products. The plan proposes promoting the development of advanced agricultural machinery in crop cultivation, harvesting and storage.

2.Floral display bolsters rural revitalization

A chrysanthemum exhibition that features over 60,000 pots of chrysanthemum flowers, spanning more than 500 varieties, recently wrapped up in Beitang village, Lincheng town, Changxing county, Huzhou. Apart from chrysanthemum blossoms, visitors to the village are able to admire other kinds of flowers, such as cherry blossoms in the spring, lotus flowers in the summer, and plum blossoms in the winter.

Tourism based on floral displays has emerged as a prime economic engine for the village. It can receive up to 5,000 visitors per day during holidays, including the National Day holiday and May Day holiday. The increasing popularity of floral displays has also facilitated the appearance of tourism facilities like homestays and restaurants, and bolstered development of tourism-related products including agricultural products and tourism souvenirs. From 2017 to 2020, the village's per capita income had grown from 1,000 yuan to more than 30,000 yuan, while its collective income jumped from zero to over 6 million yuan.

3. Hangzhou opens digital trade fair in Dubai

The 2021 China (United Arab Emirates) Trade Fair kicked off in Dubai, the UAE on Dec 7. It will run until Dec 9. The exhibition is being hosted by the Hangzhou municipal government and co-hosted by the Trade Development Bureau of the Ministry of Commerce, as well as the China Chamber of International Commerce.

The exhibition covers 10 categories, including textile and garments, home decorations, smart consumer electronics, building materials, hardware, auto parts, machinery, outdoor leisure supplies, fitness equipment, as well as security products. Around 200 enterprises from Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Guangdong, Shandong, and Hebei provinces are taking part in the event, of which nearly 100 are from Hangzhou, capital of East China's Zhejiang province. More than 10,000 buyers from UAE, as well as neighboring countries and regions have signed up to participate.

Hangzhou has also established an online platform for exhibitors to showcase their products and make real-time interactions with overseas purchasers. The platform is available in 12 languages. Hangzhou is planning to take advantage of the digital exhibitions and open 10 more exhibitions of this kind in Poland, Turkey, Egypt, the UAE, Brazil, India, South Africa, Mexico, Indonesia, and Japan in 2022.

4. Zhejiang Zhoushan Talent Entrepreneur Park opens

The Zhejiang Zhoushan Talent Entrepreneur Park in Zhoushan, East China's Zhejiang province was put into service on Dec 3. The entrepreneur park, which represents a combined investment of 200 million yuan ($31.41 million), is divided into four major areas for pilot research and development of marine biological industry, sci-tech service, and exhibition.

The marine biological industry pilot research and development base in the park covers an area of 5,400 square meters and has a 1,000-sq m raw material and solid preparation production workshop and a 2,000-sq m laboratory for R&D and testing.

Supported by comprehensive facilities, the base is capable of providing companies, universities and research institutes with services such as pilot plant testing, new product development, equipment sharing, and technical talent training. To date, the base has attracted more than 10 startups and R&D institutions.

5. Warm and soothing! Welcome to the voiceless Café in Hangzhou

There is a voiceless cafe on Xingzhou Street in Hangzhou's West Lake District with warm yellow light. Unlike the lively scene around, there is no background music and no greeting to the customers, but the sound of coffee being cooked and cups being passed around. Lu Jun, the owner, and his wife are both congenitally hearing impaired, and customers used to come here to order a cup of coffee and then sit and "talk" to each other. In the past two years, this place has not only become an offline home for many hearing-impaired people, but also warmed up many ordinary customers.

Editor: Huang Yan