Roadwork in Shandong's county spurs rural development

The completion of a 6-kilometer road in Huangqiyuan village – located in Dong'e county in Liaocheng city, in East China's Shandong Province – has greatly boosted the strawberry industry there and contributed to local rural vitalization.

The new road stretches out in Dong'e county, awaiting traffic. [Photo by Li Aiming for chinadaily.com.cn]

The new road is widely said to have improved access and increased road capacity, transforming the village into the largest strawberry picking hub in the area.

In its wake, the village has seen consistent growth and has hosted a Strawberry Cultural Picking Festival three times, attracting thousands of visitors.

Overall, Dong'e county has emphasized the development of rural roads as part of its economic and social development package.

The county has constructed a well-connected road network that effectively links national and provincial roads – improving transportation conditions in rural areas.

It's also integrated ecological considerations and industrial development into road construction plans and implemented a system to manage and maintain the road network.

In addition to the transport improvements, Dong'e county has utilized the rural road network to enhance other aspects of rural development.

It's created recreational rural areas, promoted logistics and industry development and focused on cultural tourism.

These efforts have resulted in significant economic development, including total tourism income of 2 billion yuan ($273.59 million) and increased income for farmers. (Edited by Jin Yongxue)