Villages reap benefits of ecological planning

When President Xi Jinping was serving in Zhejiang province 11 years ago, he once said: "Lucid water and lush mountains are invaluable assets." He was suggesting that a green environment would help people become wealthy.

That statement has been turning into a reality in recent years in Xianju county, in southeast Zhejiang, as the county's efforts in protecting the environment have become a major driver for the development of local agriculture and tourism.

"For many years, the lack of convenient transportation has been an obstacle for the development of our county," says Zhu Huwei, the director of the county's policy research department.