Chongqing - On March 6, the Chongqing delegation held a press conference on coordinating urban-rural integration and comprehensive rural revitalization" was in Beijing during the national "two sessions". 

The event highlighted China's efforts to address rural challenges, particularly the need to attract young people and skilled professionals back to the countryside. Deputies to the National People's Congress (NPC) shared insights in response to the 2025 Government Work Report based on their work experiences, emphasizing the critical role of youth and talent in driving rural revitalization and achieving balanced urban-rural development. 

The representatives are sharing their insights (Photo/Chongqing Municipal People's Congress)

Since China's reform and opening up in the late 1970s, rapid urbanization has led to a massive migration of rural populations, particularly young and skilled workers, to cities in search of better economic opportunities. 

This trend has left many rural areas with aging populations, labor shortages, and stagnant development. Over the past decade, the gap between urban and rural areas has widened, with cities attracting the majority of educated and skilled individuals. This imbalance has created significant challenges for rural revitalization, as villages struggle to sustain agriculture, develop industries, and improve public services. 

Zhang Guozhong stressed the issue of rural population (Photo/Chongqing Municipal People's Congress)

Recognizing this issue, the Chinese government has prioritized urban-rural integration and rural revitalization as key strategies to ensure equitable development and long-term prosperity. As Zhang Guozhong, Secretary of the Communist Party of China Fengdu County Committee, noted during the conference, "The outflow of young talent has left rural areas with a shrinking workforce and limited innovation capacity, making it difficult to achieve sustainable development."

Wei Houkai, a member of the NPC Agriculture and Rural Affairs Commission (Photo/Chongqing Municipal People's Congress)

Wei Houkai, a member of the NPC’s Agriculture and Rural Affairs Commission, emphasized the need to create favorable conditions for talent to return to rural areas. “We must break down institutional barriers and ensure that urban capital, technology, and talent can flow into rural areas, providing equal development opportunities,” he said. He stressed the importance of policies that encourage young professionals to contribute to rural development by improving infrastructure, public services, and entrepreneurial opportunities.

Ran Hui, Secretary of the CPC Tianshanbao Village Committee in Youyang Tujia and Miao Autonomous County, Chongqing, shared her community’s success in attracting young people. “By fostering a supportive environment and offering meaningful opportunities, we’ve seen young people return to contribute to our community’s growth. Our focus on eco-tourism and cultural industries has created jobs and inspired a sense of pride in our rural heritage,” she said. Tianshanbao Village has become a model for rural revitalization, leveraging its natural and cultural resources to attract tourists and drive economic growth.

The Chongqing representative, Ran Hui (Photo/Chongqing Municipal People's Congress)

Another representative from Chongqing's Shapingba District, Qi Meiwen, stressed the role of education in rural revitalization: "Shapingba has many nationally acclaimed schools, and we have some of our best schools as leaders to instruct other schools and teachers in rural areas to narrow the education gap."

Qi Meiwen focuses on the potential of education to narrow the urban-rural gap (Photo/Chongqing Municipal People's Congress)