Profile: Zheng Yue’e, secretary of the Xiaqi Village Party branch, Xiabaishi Township, Fu’an City, Fujian Province, graduated in 2020 with a degree in Administration from the Fujian Branch of the Open University of China (OUC).
Since 2016, she has been recognised for her excellent work in the Publicity Department of Fujian Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China, and named a “Female Flag Bearer” of Ningde City, “Excellent Party Member of Fu’an City”, “Representative Advanced Cadre of Fu' an City (2018)”, and a “Most Beautiful Civilized Practitioner of the New Era in Fu'an City”. In October 2020, she won the “2020 National Poverty-alleviation Endeavour” award.
At exactly 9:08 on the evening of 11 February 2021, a face familiar to the residents of Ningde appeared on stage as part of the CCTV Spring Festival Gala. Zheng Yue’e had been invited to take part in the “Report to the Motherland” as the only representative of Fujian Province to receive an award for the 2020 National Poverty Alleviation efforts. After the broadcast, the reporter contacted her online to ask what happened “on and behind the stage”.
On 5 February, Zheng Yue’e was unexpectedly contacted by the Gala directors, and invited to take part in an impromptu presentation related to poverty alleviation. She was excited and nervous.
In Xiaqi, the villagers had lived on boats throughout their history, with no houses or land. The sea was their home, and they were forced to drift with the tides. Settling ashore had been their dream for generations. This year marked the 25th anniversary of Zheng Yue’e's work there. Ever since taking up the position of secretary of the village’s Party branch, poverty alleviation has been her top priority, and has put all her efforts into obtaining funds for building houses, helping the last 642 members of 120 households settle on shore, and fully realizing the goal of “relocating ashore”.
The village is now striving hard, under her leadership, to increase its prosperity and follow the path of rural revitalisation. “I felt honoured, happy and excited to have been able to take part in this event”, Zheng Yue’e said.
She also said,“I’ve always watched the Spring Festival Gala on TV, and never dreamed that I would actually be part of it. I felt honoured and proud from the bottom of my heart to be able to report to the motherland about the poverty-alleviation achievements of our people. I also sincerely appreciate the help the Party’s policies have given in improving their lives”.
She has been greatly inspired by the experience of taking part in the Gala.“We plan to develop a seafood street, upgrade the fisheries, create a brand of Xiaqi marine products, build a park that makes the village greener and more livable, and upgrade its infrastructure”. Zheng Yue’e confidently described the prospects for the village’s development to the reporter. She said that she will continue to strive to connect poverty alleviation and rural revitalisation, and to lead the villagers toward happiness in the new year.
By Fujian Branch