Delegates of 17 Chinese media from 11 countries and Hong Kong and Macao of China gathered in Yichang on Oct. 19 for interview activities entitled "Overseas Chinese Media’s Jing Chu Trip."
They visited the Three Gorges Project and walked into Xu Jiachong Village, the nearest village to the Dam. They not only learnt about the benefits of the Three Gorges Project in an all-round way, but also felt the charm of the great power of the nation from a close distance, witnessing a thriving road for migrants — from farm houses to residential accommodation, agricultural products to commodities and traditional labor to leisure agriculture.
At 10:10 on the day, the ship "Huajia 7", loaded with commercial vehicles, overturned the Three Gorges Dam in the Three Gorges ship lift, the ship lift chamber rising steadily with watertight integrity. Seeing this, Yang Fuqiang, editor-in-chief of the Italian Oliannews, sighed that the awesome sophisticated design plus perfect operation makes the Three Gorges Project the true great power of China.
The latest statistics from the Three Gorges Group show that the Three Gorges Reservoir has replenished 23.25 billion cubic meters of water for the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River in the first three quarters of this year, and the total size of fish spawning has exceeded 9 billion during the ecological operation test of the reservoir. During the flood season, the Three Gorges Reservoir accumulated 9.3 billion cubic meters of flood. At the same time, a flood control compensation operation was carried out for Dongting Lake and Poyang Lake areas in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River, successfully combating the "No. 1 Flood Peak" of the Yangtze River. The Three Gorges shiplock has operated 7,957 times with 108.1541 million tons of cargo, hitting a record high. The Three Gorges ship lift has run 2,049 times with 2,069 ships, 111,600 passengers and 722,600 tons of cargo.
At the power station on the left bank, the staff introduced that the Three Gorges Power Station installs a total of 32 sets of 700,000 kilowatts and two sets of 50,000 kilowatts of hydroelectric generating units, with a total installed capacity of 22.5 million kilowatts. However, only 450 people are needed in this hydropower station with the largest installed capacity in the world. It is the world's most intelligent power plant with the largest per capita installed capacity.
After the introduction, Chen Qing, director of the Cantonese channel of the US Skylink TV, said: "The Three Gorges Project is a name card for ‘made in China, created by China and intelligent manufacturing’, highlighting China's strength, of which every overseas Chinese is deeply proud." She also showed that the most factual message of the Three Gorges Project will be delivered to overseas audiences.
Wang Donglei, editor-in-chief of the UK Times, visited the Three Gorges Dam for the first time. She said only after visiting it in person can she realize the greatness of the project and its important role in serving people's livelihood. "After going back, I will introduce Yichang and the Three Gorges Dam in an all-round way."
Located on the left bank of the Three Gorges Dam, Xujiachong village of Taipingxi town in Yiling district is the nearest to the Dam. It is 1 km away from Tanziling, a national 5A scenic spot. More than 20 years ago, due to the construction of the Three Gorges Dam, more than 1,000 villagers from three villages of Taipingxi town, including Xiwan village, Xujiachong village and Qinjiatuo village, moved to the slope of the left bank of the Dam and established a new home—Xujiachong village. On the afternoon, the interview team walked into the village to experience the happy life of the Three Gorges migrants.
In Xujiachong village, the newly built villagers’ houses, which were neat and uniform, caught their eyes. Those were three- or four-storybuildings with white walls and gray tiles. Wang Zuozhan, Party branch secretary of the village, told them that with the completion of the Three Gorges Dam, the villagers became “beneficiaries of tourism”.
On the day, the Overseas Chinese Media entered a nearby building with a small supermarket on the first floor. The 53-year-old owner of the house, Meng Fuhua, said that she was an early migrant, with only two earth houses before moving. Now not only does she live in the storied building, but her daughter also works in Yichang city. Meng and her husband are now taking care of their daughter’s children at home while running a supermarket and a van, with an annual income of nearly 100,000 yuan.
Different from Meng Fuhua's life, the migrant Xie Rong set up a company with more than a dozen of employees, focusing on the development of tourist handicraft products and accommodations. Driven by Xie Rong's experience, an entrepreneurial craze quickly spreads in Xu Jiachong village. Up to now, the village has developed more than 30 accommodation services, which have gradually become the preferred way for the villagers to increase their income.
"The Three Gorges Dam is a unique tourism resource in Yichang, of which migrants have taken advantage to start their businesses. It is great for the villagers to rely on themselves and realize the revitalization of the village. " Zhang Chong, CEO of Myanmar Golden Phoenix, praised.
The secretary Wang introduced to the delegates that the villagers have tasted the sweetness in recent years since the fame of Three Gorges Dam tourism. In the future, Aiming at a rural revitalization demonstration village, Xujiachong will take advantage of the Three Gorges Dam tourism to play a leading role in the industry and take various measures to promote employment to achieve the overall prosperity of the migrant village.
"The villagers have not only lived a better life, but also seen further. They not only mean to live a well-off life, but also strive to live a more modernized quality life by gradually changing their way of life." Sheng Yiping, editor-in-chief of Hong Kong Mirror, said in front of rows of houses.
Holding back Wushan’s clouds and rain, a smooth lake rises in the narrow gorges. The Three Gorges Project has changed the appearance of mountains and rivers, as well as the communities and people who have lived along the Yangtze River for thousands of years. From the dilapidated mountain village of Xiling Gorge to the new and rich migrant village, the Three Gorges people with adequate food and clothing have reconstructed their hometown identity in the past 20 years. They are determined to retain the green mountains and clear waters for future generations.
The interview activities of "Overseas Chinese Media’s Jing Chu Trip" are undertaken by the Publicity Department and the United Front Work Department of Yichang Municipal Party Committee and China News Service Hubei Branch, with the theme of reporting Yichang's "new strategy, new development and new achievements". Serving as a bridge for communication, exchanges and cooperation with other countries, the interview activities aim to convey "Yichang’s good stories" to the world so that heads of overseas Chinese and investment experts can better understand Yichang, focus on Yichang and invest in Yichang. (Three Gorges Daily Trainee Reporter Wang Ke, Correspondent Liu Liangwei)