Ethnic village gets lift from new crops

Growth of operations at nearby port, smarter farming lead to success

Yu Shaogui and his neighbors were once discouraged by their village's location. But now the situation has changed dramatically, thanks to China's opening-up policy and the rapid growth of a new port built adjacent to the community.

Yu, 37, is from Kou'an New Village, a native Lisu ethnic enclave in the town of Houqiao in Yunnan province's Tengchong city. The community lies along the China-Myanmar border and next to Houqiao port, now a national-level trading port.