Translated with AI
Since 2021, a program to build modern, well-appointed border villages has been implemented in Yunnan Province /Southwest China/. As a result, over the past four years, living conditions and well-being of local residents have been significantly improved, reports People's Daily . with reference to Huanqiuwan website.
Happiness is a renewed village
"You ask what happiness is? Our village is getting prettier, there are more and more tourists, everyone's wallets are getting fatter – that's happiness," says Yan Man, a resident of the border village of Men'a, smiling as he sits in his restaurant serving traditional Dai cuisine.
Previously, this village, despite its close proximity to the border with Myanmar, was of no interest to tourists. Narrow alleys, chaotically laid electric wires and general poor condition did not contribute to the development of tourism.
The situation changed dramatically with the start of the modernization program: underground utilities were laid, brick fences in a uniform architectural style were built, roads were widened and streets were landscaped – including by planting flowers. Today, the village has become a popular tourist destination, and about a third of families receive income from tourism.
According to statistics, since 2021, all 374 border administrative villages in Yunnan have fully paved roads, the coverage rate of centralized water supply has exceeded 90%, and 5G signal has covered every village.
Happiness is the path to prosperity
"Happiness is when your wallet is full!" says Na Lo, a resident of Dunnai village, with a smile. Here, farmers grow mountain watermelons, taking advantage of the high-altitude climate in low latitudes. With the support of local authorities, the village has gone from scattered cultivation to large-scale production.
And in the village of Dizhengdang, women of the Dulong ethnic group earn a living by weaving traditional blankets, with orders coming in from as far away as Shanghai.
By the end of 2024, the average annual income of residents in border villages in Yunnan Province reached 22,500 yuan, 5,000 yuan higher than the provincial average.
Happiness is protected boundaries
“Living on the border, happiness is when the border is well protected and the country is safe,” says Zhao Aijun, party secretary of Longnai village, located just 200 meters from the Myanmar border. Not only are modern surveillance and warning systems installed here, but all residents actively participate in guarding the national border.
(Editor: Yang Qian, Deng Jie)
