Shandong county shares experiences with countries involved in BRI

Zhai Xuemei, dean of China Women's University's School of International Education, led an on-site teaching session for female officials from countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative. The session was held in Shanxian county, Shandong province.

The cultural center in Fugang town hosted students from Jamaica, Nigeria, Romania, and other countries. During the session, they learned various traditional handmade techniques, such as straw weaving and handmade aromatherapy. They also had the opportunity to taste the special cuisines of the county, including mutton soup, pear-syrup candy, and salted duck eggs. 

Students experience the skill of straw weaving in Shanxian county. [Photo by Integrated Media Center of Shanxian county/for chinadaily.com.cn]

During the in-person experience, the students gained valuable insights into how to enhance rural vitalization by leveraging local special industries. Shanxian county has effectively utilized its local resources and traditional culture to promote agricultural produce. They introduced e-commerce and live streaming to promote their products. Additionally, through extensive dialogue with cultural inheritors, live streamers, and leaders of cultural projects, they developed a profound understanding of strategies for promoting employment and income generation among rural women.

While staying at Fulong Lake Resort in the county, the students enjoyed the picturesque natural scenery from tourist yachts. They also received an insightful introduction to Shanxian's approach to transforming cultural tourism resources into opportunities for developing specialized industries.

A group photo shows the students participating in the on-site teaching trip in Shanxian county. [Photo by Integrated Media Center of Shanxian county/for chinadaily.com.cn]

After this trip, the students expressed a deeper understanding of the impact of local special industries and cultural tourism on rural vitalization and shared prosperity. They also recognized the various efforts undertaken by the local government and women's federation to support female employment. The students plan to bring these valuable experiences back to their own countries, promote them, and adapt them to suit their contexts. They anticipate that the experiences gained from China will soon yield positive outcomes in the countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative. (Edited by Zhang Ying)