International conference raises bar for governance

The Communist Party of China and World Political Parties Summit was held on Tuesday via video link.

Themed "For the people's well-being: The responsibility of political parties", the summit aimed to strengthen exchanges and mutual learning about governance by political parties worldwide.

It was a joint response to the challenges brought by economic changes and the global COVID-19 pandemic. It sought to enhance the philosophy and ability of people to seek happiness, advance world peace and development and promote the construction of a community with a shared future for mankind.

Anji county, Zhejiang province, where the development approach of "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets" was first proposed, hosted a session of the summit to showcase the province's eco-friendly practices and achievements to the world.

More than 150 people attended the session, including government officials, outstanding CPC members, non-Party members and representatives from all walks of life.

Driven by the goal of building a beautiful Zhejiang, the province has taken on a new look after years of eco-friendly development.

In 2003, Zhejiang launched the Green Rural Revival Program to inspire the revitalization of rural areas. In the following years, thousands of villages in the province ramped up efforts to improve their environment and develop rural tourism, improve ecosystems and raise rural incomes.

In the wake of that program, the province initiated the development of "beautiful villages" and began working to transform Zhejiang into a "big garden".

Environmental improvements also resulted in the enhancement of people's living standards. In 2020, the per capita disposable income of rural residents in Zhejiang reached 31,930 yuan ($4,943), ranking first nationwide for the 36th consecutive year.

Cai Jingwen in Anji contributed to this story.