Scholars from the Academy of Marxism visit Maojiayu Village, Jizhou District, Tianjin, to conduct research on the new type of rural collective economy
In order to deeply study and implement the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the CPC [1], and to earnestly implement the spirit of the document "Work Plan on Promoting the Great Practice of Investigation and Research throughout the Party," from April 7 to 9, 2023, Zhao Zhikui and Peng Haihong, researchers from the Institute of Marxism Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), led a seven-member research team to Maojiayu Village in Jizhou District, Tianjin, to conduct research on the new type of rural collective economy. Maojiayu Village attached great importance to this research activity, and Comrade Li Suo, Secretary of the Village Party Branch, accompanied and assisted the team throughout the investigation.
Maojiayu Village is located in the northeastern part of Jizhou District, Tianjin. Until the year 2000, the village remained a remote and backward small mountain hamlet with no collective income and a per capita income of less than 2,000 yuan. In November 2000, Li Suo, a demobilized soldier, was elected as the Secretary of the Maojiayu Village Party Branch and Chairman of the Village Committee [2]. Seizing the opportunity when Jizhou District was vigorously promoting the rural tourism industry, Maojiayu capitalized on its advantages—beautiful natural scenery, high forest coverage, a clean environment, fresh air, and particularly a high number of centenarians in the village. By focusing its efforts on the concept of "Longevity" [3], the village created the "Maojiayu Longevity Tourism Resort," embarking on a path of poverty alleviation and prosperity supported by rural tourism. By the end of 2004, the annual comprehensive income of Maojiayu Village reached over 3.5 million yuan, and per capita income exceeded 10,000 yuan. On the eve of the Spring Festival in 2009, all 46 households in Maojiayu Village received a villa distributed by the village. In 2022, the village's total tourism revenue reached 100 million yuan. The village has been successively appraised as a National Civilized Village, a National Model Village for Democracy and Rule of Law, a National Demonstration Point for Leisure Agriculture, and a National Demonstration Point for Agricultural Tourism. The Village Party Branch was also recognized as a National Advanced Primary-level Party Organization in "Striving for Excellence" (Chuangxian Zhengyou).
Symposium on the "Development of the New Type of Rural Collective Economy in Maojiayu Village"
On the morning of April 8, accompanied by Secretary Li Suo, the research team visited the Maojiayu Village Committee and held a symposium with the members of the "Two Committees" [4] of Maojiayu Village on the theme "Development of the New Type of Rural Collective Economy in Maojiayu Village." Secretary Li Suo introduced in detail the course of Maojiayu’s journey from poverty alleviation to prosperity and rural revitalization, the development of the village's collective economy since the 18th National Congress [5] of the CPC, and the main practices and experiences in Party organization building. Furthermore, he outlined the future development prospects of Maojiayu Village from the dual perspectives of implementing corporate operations and creating health-and-wellness tourism (kangyang [6]).
On the afternoon of April 8, the research team conducted interviews at the Village Committee with Wang Heyu, a member of the village’s "Two Committees," Director of the Women’s Federation, and the village accountant. Wang Heyu shared her experience as the first university student to return to the village to start a business and join the village leadership team, and she reviewed the developmental history of the village’s collective economy.
Research in Villagers' Homes
On the morning of April 9, the research team visited peasant households and conducted in-depth interviews. They inspected the operating environment and facilities of the "Peasant Households-turned-Inns" (nongjiayuan [7]) and sought suggestions from the villagers regarding the future development of Maojiayu Village.
Finally, the research team engaged in an in-depth discussion centered on the "New Type of Rural Collective Economy." They held extensive exchanges particularly on topics such as strengthening the building of rural primary-level Party organizations, improving the rural governance system led by Party organizations, achieving high-quality development of rural industries, and promoting the construction of a beautiful countryside that is harmonious and pleasant to live and work in. The team offered several suggestions for the development of Maojiayu Village.
The research team took a group photo with Secretary Li Suo
General Secretary Xi Jinping has repeatedly emphasized the need to develop the new type of rural collective economy and take the road to common prosperity. Maojiayu Village is an active practitioner of this ideology. With the development of Maojiayu's new type of collective economy, the strength of the village-level collective economy has been continuously consolidated and expanded, and per capita income has rapidly increased. By the end of 2022, Maojiayu Village had a collective accumulation of 100 million yuan and an average annual per capita income of 90,000 yuan, becoming a typical model of achieving rural revitalization and common prosperity for villagers by relying on the collective economy.
(Written by Zong Pengfei, 2022 Doctoral Candidate, School of Marxism, University of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences) Web Editor: San Qing