The 5th (2025) New Hope Rural Revitalization "Village Chief Training" successfully concluded.

On November 7th, the 5th Rural Revitalization "Village Chief Training Program," guided by the China Guangcai Program Foundation, the Beijing Federation of Industry and Commerce, and the Sichuan Provincial Federation of Industry and Commerce, and jointly organized by the Postal Savings Bank of China, the Sichuan Chamber of Commerce, New Hope Group, and the Sichuan Yonghao Charity Foundation, successfully concluded. 106 village party secretaries and other grassroots cadres and rural development leaders from 28 provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions across the country successfully completed their group project assessments and received their graduation certificates.

At the graduation ceremony, Li Jianxiong, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of New Hope Group, stated in his concluding remarks that New Hope Group had previously proposed a "six-in-one" action plan for rural revitalization, leveraging its industrial advantages to serve China's rural revitalization through six aspects: industrial revitalization, talent support, financial assistance, technological empowerment, ecological protection, and social responsibility. In the future, while continuing to advance the "Seed Program," efforts will continue to focus on industrial revitalization and talent support. On the one hand, the Rural Revitalization "Village Chief Training Program" will continue long-term and continuously; on the other hand, we also want to focus on industrial development, forging more connections with more trainees and village chiefs, discovering more high-quality agricultural products, and working together to create more "one county, one product" and "one village, one product" initiatives, empowering more rural development.

Wang Ziyue, Chairperson of the Sichuan Yonghao Charity Foundation and Brand General Manager of New Hope Group, outlined the future development of the Rural Revitalization "Village Chief Training Program" in her speech. She stated that after listening to suggestions from relevant leaders and past trainees, the program will, on the one hand, explore ways to maximize the value of the rural revitalization resources accumulated over the past five years, systematically deepening the "Village Chief Training Program" from "short-term intensive learning" to "long-term ecological empowerment." On the other hand, it will explore more vertical and targeted teaching and support based on the trainees' desire.

Course Upgrades Foster Connections Between Participants and Multiple Parties

This year's Rural Revitalization "Village Chief Class" has undergone profound innovation in its teaching model and curriculum design. On the one hand, it strengthens connections with enterprises, breaking through the limitations of traditional training's "unified instruction and one-way output" by adopting a "dialogue-based" teaching approach and holding face-to-face forums between villages and enterprises. On the other hand, it connects with Generation Z, exploring the formation of a youth mentor group including two Gen Z individuals from various fields, allowing participants to understand what young people think and what they can learn from them. Furthermore, it strengthens internal connections among participants, building the "Village Chief Class" into a platform for communication, exchange, and growth from multiple dimensions.

While daring to innovate, the "Village Chief Class's" basic teaching continues to strive for even greater heights. Looking back on the week-long course, it included a total of 11 lectures and classroom dialogues, 2 thematic seminars, 2 on-site field trips, and 2 practical education sessions. The training invited experts from various fields, including the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, the Central Party School, and Tsinghua University, as well as representatives from enterprises such as China Postal Savings Bank, China National Agricultural Development Group, and Yinjuxiangli, to lecture on agricultural policies and laws, the spirit of the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee, Party building and policy guidance, agricultural and rural financial practices, rural industrial development models, and the revitalization and operation of idle rural assets. This training not only helped participants understand major policies and industrial development trends and learn how to strengthen grassroots governance through Party building, but also provided them with specific business strategies and methods.

At the "Village-Enterprise Face-to-Face Forum," participants engaged in frank and in-depth dialogue with four entrepreneurs from the food seasoning, equipment manufacturing, and digital agriculture sectors, as well as village officials including Chen Xianqing, Party Secretary of Fenghuangzhai Village in Lishui City, Zhejiang Province; Jiang Youtian, Party Secretary of Linxia Village in Anshun City, Guizhou Province; Zhou Lei, First Secretary of Sanjiaoshan Village in Jinzhou City, Liaoning Province; and Chen Chuang, First Secretary of Shuiyuzui Village in Mentougou District, Beijing. Topics included how to apply business thinking and market logic to solve rural development problems, how to attract and retain outstanding young talent, and how to focus on core advantages as a breakthrough point for development. This dialogue helped participants understand each other's concerns and pain points.

The training also included a visit to the History of the Communist Party of China Exhibition Hall and a trip to Tiananmen Square to watch the flag-lowering ceremony. Using national symbols and ritual as a link, participants were able to extract methodologies for "good governance at the grassroots level" from historical experience, internalizing their patriotism into a sense of responsibility and mission for rural revitalization. Song Guoji, a trainee from Shangqiu, Henan Province, and director of the village committee of Bailou Village, Suixian County, said, "When we stood in Tiananmen Square, we felt the strength of our motherland. We are fighting on the front lines at the grassroots level, witnessing, participating in, and building rural development. We believe in the power of the people, the power of the organization, the power of the Party, and we believe our villages will get better and better." Li Dawei, a member of the Party branch committee of Nanxuegezhuang Village, Laiyang City, Shandong Province, also expressed his excitement on his social media account: "A century-long journey, our original aspiration remains steadfast; the red gene is passed down from generation to generation; rural revitalization, with you and me, there is hope! Go for it!"

The training also took trainees to visit leading companies in the internet and advanced manufacturing fields such as JD.com and Xiaomi, broadening their horizons and allowing them to experience the new changes brought about by digitalization, AI, and other new technologies to national development and rural revitalization. The trainees learned and were deeply impressed throughout the visit. Cuoduo, secretary of the Party branch of Kaji Village, Gaduo Township, Chengduo County, Qinghai Province, said that the curiosity and awe in everyone's eyes during the visit to the JD.com and Xiaomi car processing plants—those advanced production technologies and innovative development concepts—allowed us to step out of the small circle of the countryside and see the vast world of industrial development. 

As the "Village Chief Training Program" upgrades from "short-term training" to "long-term empowerment," it places particular emphasis on promoting communication and building connections among trainees. The learning process becomes an opportunity for trainees to showcase their village's unique characteristics and improve themselves, transforming the "Village Chief Training Program" into a platform for communication, exchange, and growth. To this end, a series of joyful and relaxed activities were carefully designed, allowing trainees from all over the country to quickly become acquainted and turn colleagues into close friends.

During the trainee interaction session, about ten trainees, including Wang Lu, Assistant Director of Sanhe Community in Qinglong County, Qianxinan Buyi and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, Guizhou Province; Yang Tongxiang, Party Branch Secretary of Wenggang Village, Kaili City, Guizhou Province; Zhang Jiyao, Party Branch Secretary of Baimi Village, Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province; and Ji Pomunai, a member of the village-based work team in Huoluo Village, Zhaojue County, Liangshan Prefecture, Sichuan Province, showcased the traditional costumes of the Buyi, Mulam, Bai, and Yi ethnic minorities in a fashion show. Li Benqing, Party Branch Secretary of Yinshan Community, Jinyingshan Street, Hezhang County, Guizhou Province, and Luo Peixin, Party Branch Secretary of Jindongling Village, Jieyang City, Guangdong Province, among other trainees, sang songs characteristic of their ethnic groups or regions. While showcasing their talents, the trainees also introduced their ethnic characteristics or local specialties and exchanged them, promoting their products and strengthening their friendships.

The trainees also shared their experiences in industrial development and grassroots governance, learning from each other. Wang Yuqi, Party Branch Secretary of Dongfangezhuang Village, Yukou Town, Pinggu District, Beijing, recounted the story behind his village's toon trees becoming a tribute item and the origin of the name "Buddha's Joy" pear. He also shared his insights on how to develop distinctive rural products: "The so-called local specialties must have the unique soil and climate of the area; the specialties are about telling a good story, and only with a brand can there be vitality; the products are about developing a large-scale village industry. A good product needs a good story. Any industry can be replicated, but the history, culture, and stories of a village cannot be replicated." Jiang Youtian, Party Branch Secretary of Linxia Village in Anshun City, Guizhou Province, shared his experience in developing the local specialty, golden prickly pear juice, based on the "company + farmer + base" industrial model. He believes that professional tasks should be handled by professionals, and village cadres should focus on building platforms to attract social capital.

The outflow of talent, and even the hollowing out of the village, is a predicament faced by almost all villages and is the biggest factor restricting rural development. How to unite forces and attract talent back to their hometowns to develop and start businesses? Two secretaries from Hubei and Beijing told different stories. Guling Village in Wangcheng Town, Zaoyang City, Hubei Province, also faces this problem. Most of the remaining villagers are elderly, weak, sick, or disabled. Party Branch Secretary Guo Shixin jokingly called our place "a weak and disorganized village" in the past. Guo Shixin recounted how compiling a village chronicle resolved conflicts and misunderstandings, stimulated villagers' enthusiasm for building their hometown, and connected resources such as talent scattered throughout the village. Ultimately, by using the compilation of the village chronicle as a starting point, he activated the village's endogenous driving force and united the forces for development. Chen Chuang, the first secretary of Shuiyuzui Village in Mentougou District, Beijing, shared the story of how digitalization revitalized the village. Shuiyuzui Village pioneered the "Cloud Villager" program, creating the nation's first digitally native village integrating "digital protection of cultural heritage + immersive interactive experience + urban-rural community co-creation." Since its launch, the Cloud Village has attracted over 12,000 online "Cloud Villagers" worldwide to support village development, successfully recruiting 32 Cloud Villagers to start businesses in the village, and fostering a continuous stream of new scenarios and business models, such as the Jingxi Ancient Road Sunset Music Festival, injecting sustained "retention" and attention into rural tourism.

Practical Roadshow Presentations: Judges Offer Insightful Advice

During the roadshow segment, six groups of trainees, including Chen Chuang, First Secretary of Shuiyuzui Village, Mentougou District, Beijing; Ma Xin, Party Branch Secretary of Huangjiaquan Village, Yongchang County, Gansu Province; Xie Fuchuan, Militia Battalion Commander and Agricultural Manager of Baiguanwei Village, Wuhu City, Anhui Province; A Jiangtao, Party Branch Secretary of Haikou Village, Eryuan County, Dali Prefecture, Yunnan Province; Du Tianhong, Party Branch Secretary of Zhongzhai Community, Bijie City, Guizhou Province; and Lu Ya, Collective Economic Leader of Jiagu Village, Liangshan Prefecture, Sichuan Province, presented their respective villages' current industrial development status, constraints, and untapped economic potential. They also shared the knowledge and experience gained in the "Village Chief Training Program" on driving rural industrial development and presented their villages' future development plans.

The roadshow focused on the current state of industrial development in their villages, the factors hindering development, and the economic potential that could be tapped.

The judges provided insightful comments and solutions for promoting rural industrial development during the "Village Chief Training Program." 

Each group's presentation was unique, ranging from solutions for developing and expanding the village's collective economy despite its ordinary resources, to development plans based on nationally renowned tourism IPs, and even a "salmon" development plan centered on ethnic minority intangible cultural heritage handicrafts… The atmosphere was exceptionally lively, and the judges' comments and suggestions were sharp, insightful, constructive, and targeted.

The fourth group, Ajiangtao, came from Haikou Village, Eryuan County, Dali Prefecture, Yunnan Province. Located on the shores of Erhai Lake, a nationally and even globally renowned tourist destination, the village boasts distinctive ethnic culture and customs, such as the sea lantern festival originating from an ancient Bai legend, thousands of ancient pear trees with an average age of three to four hundred years, and local delicacies like roast chicken, roast duck, and spicy fish… its cultural and tourism resources are truly exceptional. However, its shortcomings are also apparent: a lack of talent and an excellent operation and management team, requiring significant improvement in operation and management.

Liu Yuwei, a member of the Youth Mentor Group and a self-media blogger, suggested that Haikou Village could partner with universities to hold collaborative innovation competitions, attracting more young tourists and young entrepreneurs. Chen Changchun, however, believes that the numerous high-end homestays around Erhai Lake create fierce competition, putting pressure on Haikou Village to differentiate itself. He suggested that Haikou Village should not focus on accommodation but instead concentrate on developing cultural and artistic products and interesting intangible cultural heritage programs to create its own unique highlights and attract tourists to experience differentiated local content.

Lu Ya, from Group 6, is a returning entrepreneur with experience in big cities. She proposed a "Salmon" development plan, centered on Yi embroidery, an intangible cultural heritage, blending the millennia-old Yi embroidery techniques with modern trends. With cultural tourism and cultural education as its two wings, she envisions building an intangible cultural heritage industry chain in the village. Her brand, "Tangxin Yueliang" (Heart-Moon), is positioned as a mass-market brand, not a high-end one, making it affordable for ordinary people, and allowing ordinary Yi embroiderers to participate in production.

In his comments, Chen Changchun suggested that the growth period for cultural and creative entrepreneurship is relatively long, and that a luxury goods approach could be explored to better satisfy consumers' pursuit of emotional value. Based on this, the team structure could be further optimized, requiring a stronger team specializing in luxury marketing, planning, and design to handle top-level design.

Gaining Friendships and Knowledge: Turning Ideas into Action

Although the week-long training was short, the meticulously designed curriculum, unique training methods, rich and varied content, and strong mentor team left the participants with many feelings, inspirations, and food for thought. At the graduation ceremony, Cuoduo, Party Branch Secretary of Kaji Village, Gaduo Township, Chengduo County, Qinghai Province; Lu Ya, the collective economic leader of Jiagu Village, Liangshan Prefecture, Sichuan Province; and Song Guoji, Director of the Village Committee of Bailou Village, Shangqiu City, Henan Province, shared their experiences and insights as student representatives.

"The most precious things during this time, besides the knowledge I gained, were the deep friendships I forged with my classmates," Cuoduo said with reluctance. "We sat together late into the night discussing the village's industrial challenges and sharing our experiences in getting rich; we also walked together to Tiananmen Square, feeling the national sentiment amidst the solemnity. At that moment, we were not only classmates, but also comrades-in-arms marching side by side. Along the way, we inspired and encouraged each other. Every exchange sparked intellectual discussions, and every trip together gathered a warm strength. This friendship is pure and unwavering, and it has long been engraved in our hearts." Without exception, almost all the trainees said that the biggest gain from this training was making many friends and gaining friendships.

The second key word mentioned by the trainee representatives was unanimously "gaining knowledge and broadening horizons." “I’ve attended many similar training courses before, but this is the first time I’ve had such in-depth exchanges and learning opportunities with so many village secretaries who are truly working on the front lines,” said Lu Ya. “The ‘Village Chief Class’ has built a cross-regional and cross-sectoral exchange platform, allowing us practitioners rooted in rural areas to break free from geographical limitations and sit down to discuss and work together with policy experts, industry leaders, and outstanding peers. It’s not only a recharge of knowledge but also a revolution in thinking.”

Cuoduo also expressed that he benefited greatly from this training. "The content I learned in the training, from clever methods of rural governance to new paths for increasing income through industry, and practical skills for digitally empowering rural areas, was packed with valuable information in every lesson. This knowledge isn't just empty talk from books; it's a 'golden key' that can be directly applied to the development of the village."

When talking about how to apply what he learned in the "Village Chief Class" to practice, Cuoduo said he already has many ideas in mind: applying JD.com's supply chain thinking to the sales of agricultural products in the village, integrating Xiaomi's innovative spirit into the cultivation of the village's characteristic industries, and striving to transform the training results into tangible benefits for the villagers. Lu Ya said that he would bring the insights and ideas gained from these few days back to the village, turning ideas into action and blueprints into reality. Song Guoji said that he would use the new ideas, new knowledge, and new skills learned in the Village Chief Class to better serve the countryside and the people, making the countryside and our hometown better.

At the end of the graduation ceremony, Li Jianxiong, Wang Ziyue, Chen Changchun, and others presented graduation certificates to the trainees and awarded prizes for best planning, best execution, and best creativity to outstanding trainees. Wang Ziyue stated that graduation is not an end, but a new beginning, and expressed his hope to work together with everyone to do a good, practical, and thorough job of rural revitalization. The "Seed Project" will continue to be improved and implemented, regularly organizing experts and media to visit outstanding trainee villages for guidance, diagnosis, and publicity, while also connecting various enterprises and trainee villages to explore various forms of cooperation.