Recently the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) announced a list of 150 beautiful villages in China for 2017. The villages were recommended by local governments and reviewed by experts.Five Hunan villages made the list.Two Characteristic VillagesLaochehe Village, Longshan CountyBaoyao Village, Dongkou CountyTwo Modern VillagesDongmen Village, Liuyang CityZhujia Village, Taojiang CountyOne Historical VillageBachi Village, Qiyang CountyThe MOA initiated the event for the purpose of building beautiful and livable villages to promote ecological environment and advance harmony between human being and the nature. It gives priorities to carrying forward farming culture and folk custom, protecting traditional dwellings, building picturesque farmland, and developing agri-tourism. The selection criteria are as follows: 1. Good ecological environment. The village implements the environmental protection requirements by the central government, formulates specific measures to practice environmental protection effectively. It promotes a green, circular, and low-carbon economy, to integrate landscape resources and achieve resource-saving-based industrial structure and lifestyle. 2. Diversified industrial functions. Agricultural functions have been fully expanded; farming culture, pastoral style, and folk culture inherited; and, agricultural production and leisure functions integrated. The village should promote the integrated development of primary, secondary, and tertiary industries. It has good capacity to bring for job creation and increase farmers’ income. 3. Unique village layout. 4. Sound mental outlook.Translator: Xiao Juan

News 2017-09-23 17:05 View：1302

Ms. Sylvia Lucas, premier of the Northern Cape Province, South Africa, attended a meeting of Hunan-North Cape cooperation in Changsha on Sept. 20, 2017. "We expect to seek substantial collaboration in education, such as student exchange and teacher training, especially in preschool education," she said. North Cape government spends a large part of fiscal expenditure on education. It gives top priority to preschool education which is co-administered by local educational and social authorities. Some universities in the province are fostering preschool education talents. Hunan has 35 higher education institutions and six primary and middle schools which are eligible to recruit foreign students. Hunan Normal University has established friendly cooperative ties with University of Pretoria (South Africa), University of Nairobi (Kenya), and the International University of Management (Namibia). Hunan Normal University Office of International Exchange and Cooperation Deputy Director Li Miao said at the meeting that, the university’s preschool education covers undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral programs. There is possibility to expand teacher and student exchange between the university and North Cape, and develop dual degree and dual supervisor educational modes. Hunan established friendly-province relationship with North Cape Province in Sept. 2003. On Sept. 21 and 22, Ms. Sylvia Lucas leads her delegation to attend the 2017 Hunan-Africa Industrial Cooperation Promotion Fair held in Changsha.Ms. Sylvia Lucas (C), premier of the North Cape Province, South Africa. (Photo/Tang Xiaoqing)Translator: Pang Yuehui 

News 2017-09-21 17:09 View：1563

A Hunan cultural show was staged at Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR) on Sept. 16 local time. It was the first time that the "Embrace China" - Hunan cultural exchange was held in Dutch campus, and also marked conclusion of the "Embrace China" series. More than 400 audience watched the show, including Dutch government officials, important personages, overseas Chinese in the Netherlands, international students, and foreign friends.Hunan artists performed Chinese classical dances, songs, and musical instruments, winning rounds of applause.The Chinese Ambassador in the Netherlands Mr. Wu Ken spoke highly of the show. He remarked that the overseas Chinese in the Netherlands work hard to accelerate local economic and social development, and contribute to the friendship between the two countries. He hoped that, through the cultural exchange activity, Dutch people will better understand Hunan.Vice Chairman of the Hunan Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese (HFROC) and head of the art troupe Mr. Sun Minsheng stated that arts can bridge different cultures and countries. He expected that, based on the national "Belt and Road" Initiative, the HFROC will organize more cultural exchanges to intensify friendly communication between Hunan and the “Belt and Road” countries.An "Embrace China" Hunan cultural show is staged at Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR) on Sept. 16 local time.More than 400 audience watch the show.Artists play musical instruments at the show.The Hunan delegation visits Holland Rhine Group, and holds talks with Ambassador Wu Ken and leaders of the Association of Hunanese in the Netherlands.Translator: Pang Yuehui 

News 2017-09-20 17:02 View：1361

The China Enterprise Confederation and the China Enterprise Directors Association announced the "China Top 500 Enterprises" list on Sept. 10, 2017. Eight Hunan enterprises were included. The 2017 "Top 500" qualified enterprises should have a minimum operating revenue of 28.311 billion yuan, an increase of 3.965 billion yuan over the previous year. The State Grid Corporation of China, the China National Petroleum Corporation, and the China Petrochemical Corporation are the top three. The eight Hunan enterprises are Hunan Valin Group, Hunan Construction Engineering Group, Sany Group Co., Ltd., Zoomlion Heavy Industry Science & Technology Co., Ltd., Lens Technology Co., Ltd., Hunan Bochang Holding Group Co., Ltd., Better Life Investment Group Co., Ltd., and Dahan Holding Group Co., Ltd., ranking 181st, 206th, 234th, 302nd, 388th, 430th, 445th, and 451st respectively. The total operating revenue of the 2017 "China Top 500 Enterprises" reached 64 trillion yuan, exceeding 60 trillion yuan for the first time, and equivalent to 86% of China's total GDP last year. There are 157 enterprises with operating revenue of more than 100 billion yuan, an increase of 5 over the previous year. The State Grid Corporation of China was the only one with more than 2-trillion-yuan business revenue, second only to the United States Wal-Mart. It is the second largest company by revenue in the world according to the 2016 Fortune Global 500 ranking. Translator: Yu Jiangjiang

News 2017-09-18 11:20 View：1156

The 2017 China (Hunan) International Tourism Festival will kick off at Yangsha Lake International Tourism Resort, Xiangyin County, Yueyang City on September 25. International and domestic friends will meet to discuss how to promote all-for-one tourism.Themed on “Splendid Xiaoxiang, Vast Dongting Lake, and, Charming Xiangyin”, the festival will provide tourists with customized classic travel routes,including landscape sightseeing tour, tower and island tour, and ancient town tour. They will depart from Xiangyin to enjoy the beauty of Hunan.Xiangyin's Qingshan Island, Exing Mountain,Zuo Zongtang Cultural Park, Donghu Ecological Park, and Guo Chongtao Square are popular tourist attractions in Hunan.Nine themed activities will be organized, including Yangsha Lake international motorboat competition, the first international chaiyao cultural festival, a symposium on revitalization of celadon ware, Yangsha Lake international golf invitational tournament, cycling around Yangsha Lake, a marathon, and hiking. 

News 2017-09-17 11:25 View：1532

On September 8, the World Wingsuit League China Grand Prix 2017 kicked off at Tianmen Mountain Scenic Area, Zhangjiajie.Sixteen wingsuit fliers from 11 countries participated and jumped from the 1,458-meter-high Yuhu Peak. Slalom course and target course are newly adopted, providing visitors with breathtaking contests.Eight wingsuit fliers were advanced to the next round of slalom course.

News 2017-09-16 11:21 View：1233

The review meeting on Zhangjiajie national demonstration zone for protected eco-origin product (PEOP) was held on Sept. 9, 2017. The General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine Assessment Group announced that Zhangjiajie passed on-site evaluation. It marked that Zhangjiajie becomes the first national PEOP demonstration city in Hunan Province.    Zhangjiajie City boasts six well-known titles of "China's first batch of World Natural Heritage Sites", "first batch of world geological parks", "'Zhangjiajie landscape’ origin", "China's first national forest park", "first batch of national 5A-level scenic spots", and "national civilized scenic area". Its rich natural endowment of resources nurture various products.   It was said that exploration, protection, and utilization of these eco-origin products, and establishing the demonstration city in Hunan, are crucial to build Zhangjiajie into the "Splendid Xiaoxiang" all-for-one tourism center. These will play a leading role in promoting Zhangjiajie’s ecological civilization and green development.    A batch of high quality eco-origin products will be explored and protected while developing the demonstration city. With these efforts, the supply-side structural reform in tourism consumer market will be implemented; consumers satisfied; and, high-end market expanded at home and abroad.

News 2017-09-15 11:23 View：1189

Recently, Zhangjiajie City Wulingyuan District government of Hunan Province has organized Tujia brocade techniques training courses for local women to improve their employment opportunities and provide entrepreneurship training. Presently, the region has more than 1,200 systematically-trained rural women mastering Tujia brocade skills. Through cooperatives, and individual workshops, they spend leisure time weaving brocades that are featured tourism souvenirs such as Tujia brocade slippers, clothing, and collective paintings to supplement their income.Students learn Tujia brocade weaving skills at Guaiyaomei Tujia Brocade Base, Wulingyuan District, Zhangjiajie City, Hunan Province on Sept. 11, 2017. (Photo/Wu Yongbing)Tujia brocade master, Du Haiying (L) teaches students her techniques at the Base. (Photo/Wu Yongbing)A student practices reeling thread on a brocade knitting machine. (Photo/Wu Yongbing)Master Du Haiying (L) teaches Tujia brocade making to a student at the Base. (Photo/Wu Yongbing)Translator: Yu Jiangjiang 

News 2017-09-15 11:18 View：996