4th China New E-Commerce Conference opens in Changchun

The fourth China New E-Commerce Conference was held Thursday and Friday in Changchun, capital of northeast China’s Jilin Province, under the theme “Building New E-Commerce, Sharing New Development.”

The event invited guests to deliver speeches and case studies on emerging information technologies and new standards.

The conference aimed to explore industry trends and innovative technologies, promoting the integration of new e-commerce with cultural tourism.

The “China New E-Commerce Development Report” was published during the conference, which provided comprehensive insights into the sector’s performance over the past year.

The report revealed that China’s online retail sales reached a staggering 15.42 trillion yuan (about 2.2 trillion US dollars) in 2023, marking an 11% year-over-year increase. This growth solidified China’s position as the world leader in the online retail market for the 11th consecutive year.

The market size for the country’s live streaming e-commerce has reached 4.9 trillion yuan (about 690 billion U.S. dollars), with a remarkable annual growth rate of 35.2 percent, according to the report.

The report indicated that the total value of cross-border e-commerce imports and exports in China reached 2.38 billion yuan (about 340 billion US dollars), representing an increase of 15.6% compared to the previous year.

4th China New E-Commerce Conference opens in Changchun

Following President Xi Jinping’s call to protect Erhai Lake in southwest China’s Yunnan province, students at Beijing’s top agricultural university have embarked on a mission in recent years to help locals with agricultural production that promises much less damage. to the ecology of the lake, a great increase in its subsistence and a more harmonious relationship between man and nature.

Located in the city of Dali, Erhai Lake is about 2,000 meters above sea level and covers more than 250 square kilometers. Nicknamed “Mother Lake” by locals, the serene ear-shaped freshwater lake attracts tens of millions of tourists every year.

However, as some villages still struggle to balance environmental protection with the need to secure local livelihoods, students from Beijing Agricultural University have traveled there to help. Its mission: to promote the development of green agriculture and ensure that Erhai Lake remains clean and beautiful.

“Through research, it was found that the problems in Gusheng Village include the difficulty of balancing the protection of Erhai Lake with increasing farmers’ income. And farmers’ traditional fertilization practices are also a big problem,” Chen said Huan, graduate student. from Beijing Agricultural University.

Like all farmers in Gusheng Village, 55-year-old He Licheng has always relied on using large amounts of water and fertilizers to grow his crops, an environmentally damaging approach he rarely thought about.

Chen Huan’s team’s first task was to convince farmers to abandon their long-standing practices and adopt what is known as precision fertilization. However, He Licheng and many others like him were skeptical at first.

He Lifeng did not change his farming approach until the students explained that fertilizer runoff would enter the lake and seriously pollute the water.

He said he changed his mind because of President Xi’s call to protect Erhai Lake during his inspection visit to Yunnan in January 2015.

“I took a photo next to Erhai Lake. I told them that I would take another photo years later and that I would hope the water was cleaner and clearer than what I saw. If not, I will hold them responsible,” said President Xi to a crowd of farmers in 2015.

He Licheng was there at that moment. He and other villagers took President Xi’s words to heart and turned them into action.

Fishermen stopped reckless fishing and families living along the riverbanks relocated. He Licheng and other farmers have also joined efforts to reduce the negative impacts of agricultural practices on the lake’s ecological system.

“At that time, we did not understand the conflict between agriculture and the pollution of Erhai Lake,” said the farmer.

With the introduction of new methods and smart and environmentally friendly fertilizers, farmers, who were previously uncertain about their yield, are finally welcoming this year’s harvest season, a season with unexpected results.

“Look at this field. We had a bountiful harvest this year! The stalks are longer, which means the yield has increased and the grains are also fuller,” He Licheng said beamingly.

“When we measured the yield, we found it was much higher than with our traditional methods. We thought, ‘Wow, this is magic!'” he continued.

He Licheng said he realized that protecting the environment and increasing residents’ income could go hand in hand, thanks to science and technology.

The surprises didn’t stop there. As Lake Erhai cleared, lush golden fields expanded. The once quiet village of Gusheng has transformed into a popular tourist destination.

“Look at Gusheng Village now. There are more than 100 guesthouses here! When we came here, there were only three. And now, look, there are many more,” said Chen Huan, the student from Beijing.

Among these inns is one owned by He Licheng himself. He says the number of tourists has increased over the years.

“When President Xi arrived, he told us that ‘clear waters and lush mountains are priceless assets.’ I didn’t really understand the meaning. Now, seeing reality, I finally understand,” said the farmer.

Now, farmers and students want President Xi to come here and visit the lake again to see how it has transformed over the years.

Instead, President Xi responded to a letter from university students, in which he applauded their contributions to rural revitalization and encouraged them to work harder.

“What you said is very well put, that young people should seek challenges on their own. I hope that you students will set ambitious goals and at the same time remain steadfast, combining classroom theory with rural practice. I hope that can make significant contributions to rural revitalization and dedicate their youth and strength to accelerating rural and agricultural modernization and the construction of a modern socialist country,” Xi said in his letter read by Chen Huan.

Chen Huan stayed in Gusheng Village for two years, still dedicated to his mission there, just like the new college students who continue to come to rural areas today.

Protecting Erhai Lake and increasing local livelihoods go hand in hand in Yunnan