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100 media elites begin 'red trip' in Xibaipo

By Yan Weijue (chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2010-05-24 14:04

A team of 100 youth journalists and editors from the country's top media groups assembled in Xibaipo town, Pingshan county, Shijiazhuang city in North China's Hebei province for the start of a week-long internal-party educational trip on Monday.

The trip aims to deepen their understanding of the theoretical system of socialism in China, the professional ethic and spirit as well as a sense of responsibility as media staff.

The elite journalists and editors will also listen to reports delivered by officials of Pingshan on the county's rapid economic development in past decades, visit the county's historical cultural relics, watch documentary films on the evolution of the Party's media industry as well as living together with local villagers, in a bid to experience the hardship of the days of struggle before the founding of the new China.

"We hope by providing the youth media talent with the patriotic lectures, historical revolutionary site visits and real life experience with the locals, they will get a better understanding of Xibaipo (Pingshan), which is not only a revolutionary site that is of great significance in China's history, but also a fast-growing county with the support of the central government," said Wang Junying, secretary of Pingshan county committee in a speech.

Wang also expressed the wish that the youth media elites will make the best use of the trip, to make Xibaipo, Pingshan better known by the outside world.

"Hopefully they can help promote the image of Pingshan, showing others how it has changed in recent decades."

Xibaipo is a small mountain village located in Pingshan county, about 90 kilometers from Hebei's capital Shijiazhuang city. It is known as the last commanding headquarters of the CPC from 1948 to 1949 before they moved to Beijing and led the liberation of the whole nation. Now Xibaipo has become a renowned "red tourism" attraction.