Increasingly, deputies leaving cities to return to villages

It's not news that many of the newly elected deputies to the 14th National People's Congress come from rural areas. But I've noticed that among them, an increasing number of people choose to return to the countryside after university or working in cities.

They believe that they've made the right choice. What's more, you can tell they are proud to be farmers with fresh ideas.

Sun Chunmei, a deputy with the Jiangsu province delegation, returned to the village where she was born in Nantong city to raise chickens in 2006 after quitting her well-paid job in the provincial capital of Nanjing. She said she has witnessed the transformation of basic infrastructure and the environment in rural areas in recent years.

"Farming has become a well-respected profession. People in the cities are now jealous of us," said Sun, who set up a farm and got involved in agritourism in 2011. "Also, after seeing the changes in rural China and opportunities in the agricultural sector, many young people have shown an interest in becoming farmers."

Having seen firsthand the improvements made in rural areas, I cannot agree more with Sun.

As a reporter, I've traveled to many places around China to write, including many villages. In the past, I had to prepare myself to endure poor telecommunication networks and travel on rugged roads. Now, I no longer have such concerns.

As the country embarked on the plan to lift all rural residents out of absolute poverty, village infrastructure such as roads, housing and telecommunication networks were upgraded. Now, when people travel to most villages in China — no matter how remote — they see roads in good condition and new, beautifully decorated houses.

Country life has been changed forever. With access to 5G networks and improved logistics, villagers can easily buy and sell things online and keep up with the latest technologies. At the same time, promoting agricultural products on the internet has become the new norm, helping ensure produce can be sold for a good price.

With these advancements, people can enjoy the charms of country life without having to give up the comforts of city life.

Furthermore, with the right skills and technology, farming can be very profitable, so it's not surprising that young people, many of whom associated rural areas with poverty and inconvenience in the past, have changed their minds.

The success of poverty alleviation has laid a solid foundation for rural vitalization, which will make China's countryside more appealing in the future. Meanwhile, by attracting more talented individuals to villages, rural areas can become better developed.

Wei Qiao, another deputy from Jiangsu, also decided to quit her job at the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing in 2017 and returned to Zhenjiang city to start an agricultural machinery cooperative and a rice farm. As an expert in soil studies, she believes in putting theory into practice after seeing the importance now attached to modernizing agriculture.

"Making the decision was never easy, but I've made it work. Now, business at both the cooperative and the farm has picked up. We need to support talented youth who want to get involved in agriculture so that they can remain in the villages and enjoy a good life," Wei said.

During my visits to farms around the country, I've seen how much there is to learn about the technology used in modern farming and how much effort farmers have made to ensure good harvests. Young people who opt for an agricultural life no doubt have to roll up their sleeves and get busy, but the improvements made to rural areas now make this endeavor worthwhile.