The district focuses on specialist sectors

In Liangshan County, east China’s Shandong Province, high-quality auto parts are transported on the production line of specialist vehicle maker Shandong Shuyue Vehicle Co. Ltd., which plans to increase its output this year by building a new production park.

The investment in the production park will amount to 500 million yuan ($68.8 million) and its sales are expected to reach 2 billion yuan per year.

Liangshan, home to many vehicle manufacturers, currently produces 350,000 specialized vehicles per year. Its products are exported to various regions, including the Middle East and Southeast Asia.

In fact, this is not the only key sector in Liangshan. In recent years, the county has spared no effort to support specialized industries from rare earth elements to green goods to build a modern industrial system.

For example, the educational services sector has also become an important showcase of Liangshan County.

Liu Gang, head of the county government, said Liangshan has been providing educational services for more than 30 years. It has held the China (Liangshan) Conference on the Development of Education and Book Information Industry for four consecutive years.

According to Liu, there are now 120 educational service companies in Liangshan — 92 of them focusing on book design and distribution — offering more than 20,000 types of products.

Meanwhile, Liangshan has boosted the local logistics industry by developing three main modes of transportation — road, rail and sea.

The county has made significant contributions to China’s coal transportation and could help save at least 1 trillion yuan in transportation costs every year.

Currently, the Liangshan port alone handles 20 million tons of goods annually, and the county authorities plan to further support innovation in the logistics sector.

In addition, Liangshan has contributed to the development of large-scale fruit and vegetable agriculture by establishing complete industrial chains and developing renowned brands based on local characteristics.

In particular, the district promoted the unified development of leek cultivation through the construction of agricultural parks, distribution centers and cold stores.

Efforts were also made to effectively allocate funds for the cultivation of edible mushrooms and over 100 high-standard greenhouses were built.

Currently, Liangshan cultivates a wide range of edible mushrooms, such as king oyster mushrooms and edible button mushrooms. The mushroom spore bags produced here have been sold to more than 10 provinces across the country.

Due to the dynamic development of specialized industries, local authorities have taken full advantage of the increased revenues and implemented a number of projects aimed at improving the living conditions of residents.

The government said ongoing efforts are being made to provide better educational resources for local students.

For example, Liangshan has just completed a new primary school with high-quality infrastructure. The total investment is 150 million yuan, and 1,606 students have benefited from the project so far.

To cope with the accelerated aging of the population, the government said it has allocated nearly 1.1 million yuan to renovate bathrooms for the local elderly population.

Shower chairs and armrests were installed in the bathrooms of 480 households to provide greater convenience, comfort and safety. In addition, anti-slip measures were used on the bathroom floors.

“As we age, our bones also age… I used to be very worried about falling in the bathroom. Fortunately, the local government renovated my bathroom and equipped it with armrests, which completely solved my worries,” said an elderly villager surnamed Yu.

Liangshan’s actions are in line with China’s rural industry development plan for 2020-2025, which emphasizes the importance of supporting specialized industries.

According to the plan, rural regions should pay more attention to secondary and tertiary industries and further expand their industrial chains. Meanwhile, more diversified products should be developed to increase the added value of specialized industries as well as farmers’ income.

In addition, in the process of developing specialized industries, rural regions need to fully utilize their unique resources, such as traditional foods, skills and culture. Climate characteristics and germplasm resources should also be taken into account.

Zhang Zhenghe, a professor at the School of Economics and Management at China Agricultural University, said specialized industries have become the main driving force for the revitalization of rural areas in China.

Zhang said the country needs to support the formation of more clusters of specialized industries in rural areas, including by issuing more preferential policies and preparing the necessary infrastructure.

Meanwhile, rural enterprises should continue to improve the quality of their products, enhance their innovation capabilities and strengthen mutual cooperation.

Zhang said that in the process of industrial development, resource and environmental protection should also be highly valued.

Zhang added that efforts should be made to learn from best practices abroad and attract more high-tech talent to rural areas.