China News Service, Guangxi Guests, November 5 (Chen Qiuxia, Huang Shanshan, Chen Mingyang) From the coast of the South China Sea to Dayao Mountain, the distance is 500 kilometers. In 2026, Guangdong-Guangxi cooperation will celebrate its 30th anniversary, and Dianbai District and Maonan District of Maoming City, Guangdong Province have assisted Jinxiu Yao Autonomous County in Laibin City, Guangxi Province for ten years. "When you come, you feel the mission, and when you leave, you feel the care." This has become the most sincere voice of generations of collaborators.
Jinxiu Yao Autonomous County is located on the main mountain range of Dayao Mountain and is the earliest Yao autonomous county established in China.
Ten years ago, Jinxiu had high mountains, deep ravines, and weak industries. In 2017, Maonan District took the lead in pairing up with Jinxiu; in 2021, Dianbai and Maonan Districts will jointly shoulder the burden of assistance. In the past ten years, a total of 452 million yuan has been invested in financial assistance funds for Guangdong-Guangxi cooperation and 144 cooperation projects have been implemented; 28.84 million yuan has been invested in social assistance funds and 78 projects have been implemented.
Lei Jieyu, the first class teacher who graduated from the "Jinxiu Class" and returned to her hometown, teaches the children (data photo). Photo by Liao Yuchen
Here comes the "Jinxiu Class" from the mountains
The "Jinxiu Class", which is widely recognized by the local people, relies on two higher vocational schools in Maoming to carry out targeted free training. After completing their studies, the students return to their hometowns and take root at the grassroots level. Lei Jieyu, one of the first students of the "Jinxiu Class", is now a teacher at Sanjiang Township Central School: "I want the students to know that no matter how high the mountain is, there are still people who will lead us out."
Local B&B operators and returning youth learn skills such as e-commerce live streaming and health care services through online and offline classes.
The picture shows that on March 19, in the ecological tea garden in Sangu Village, Dazhang Township, Jinxiu Yao Autonomous County, Guangxi, the spring buds of the tea trees sprouted and were full of vitality. Tea farmers shuttled among them to pick spring tea to supply the market. Photo by Gao Rujin
"Two leaves" grow an industrial chain
Jinxiu has "two leaves" - Yao medicine and mountain tea. The production lines in Tongmu Yue Guihe Yao Medical Health Industrial Park are operating in an orderly manner. Mo Jinhui, director of the Jinxiu Yao Autonomous County Industrial Park Management Committee, said that Guangdong and Guangxi have cooperated to provide standardized factories, improve water and electricity facilities, connect Guangdong scientific research institutes, and introduce leading enterprises. The park has now gathered 21 industrial chain enterprises, opening up the entire chain of planting, processing, research and development, and health care. The county's Chinese herbal medicine planting area reaches 210,000 acres, and more than 500 business entities participate in the industry chain. Pang Yonglin, a farmer, said that he used to make a living by growing corn and fir trees, with low income and unstable sales. "Now Chinese herbal medicine has become a full-scale industry, and the income is more stable."
Mountain tea is also fragrant. Guangdong science and technology commissioners taught tea farmers step by step how to select improved varieties and transform tea production techniques, and the "Jinxiu Black Tea" brand gradually became popular. In the past ten years, eastern enterprises have invested more than 1 billion yuan in Jinxiu, and 11 assisted workshops have provided people with employment nearby.
Shanhuo continues to open up export channels. The annual sales of three consumer assistance centers in Maoming City and Jinxiu County have stabilized at around 7 million yuan; Yaoshan specialty products have appeared in various exhibitions such as the Canton Fair and the Guangdong Agricultural Expo, relying on e-commerce platforms to reach the country; Olympic champion live broadcasts help bring goods and attract cultural tourism. The cumulative sales of agricultural and sideline products in the past ten years have exceeded 450 million yuan.
The local government has polished its two major labor service brands, "Yao Medicine Health Care Practitioner" and "Cantonese Cuisine Chef", and promoted "order-based" training. In the past ten years, it has helped rural laborers maintain stable employment for more than 50,000 people, including more than 20,000 people who have been lifted out of poverty. Zhao Ying, a resident of Tongmu Town, received free training and worked in a nearby Yao Yao enterprise. “The income is higher than before as a part-time worker outside, and I can also take care of my family.”
Shanliwa uses AI classroom
Collaboration dividends benefit people’s livelihood. In terms of educational assistance, Tongmu Middle School, which was built with collaborative funds, can accommodate 2,000 students. The school became a three-year AI education pilot school. The technical team of Harbin Institute of Technology joined forces with Maonan and Dianbai supporting teaching forces to build AI intelligent self-study classrooms, synchronous recording and broadcasting classrooms, and AI innovation laboratories. In terms of medical cooperation, the two places send medical talents to each other to carry out medical support and on-the-job training.
The local government drew on the experience of Guangdong's "Hundreds and Thousands Project" to create the "Jinxiu Baili Yaozhai Style Gallery", which connects several demonstration villages such as Liuduan Village and Dishui Village to continuously improve and optimize the living environment.
The picture shows tourists visiting Bale Mountain Scenic Area in Zhongliang Township, Jinxiu Yao Autonomous County, Laibin City, Guangxi Province on June 20. (Drone photo) Photo by Gao Rujin
Dayao Mountain welcomes guests from all over the world
The two places have jointly launched the "World Yao Capital·Healthy Golden Show" brand, polished the sign of Guangdong Province's employee recuperation base, regularly launched the "Thousands of Cars and Tens of Thousands of People Touring Jinxiu" tourist trains, organized travel agencies to go to the mountains to set foot on the line, and continued to attract traffic by relying on festivals such as the Shengtang Mountain Rhododendron Festival, Dayao Mountain Cycling Challenge, and Guangxi's "March 3rd".
Zhao Suhong, the operator of Aoyao Village B&B in Luoxiang Township, said that ten years ago, most of the tourists were sporadic tourists from the surrounding area, and the number of tourists was scarce in the off-season. As Guangdong-Guangxi Cooperation continues to promote Jinxiu health and wellness resources, "Nowadays, there are particularly many tourists from Guangdong, and the rooms are often full during peak seasons. We have launched Yao baths, Yao family special meals, and sold specialties, and our revenue has increased significantly."
Ten years of new starting point
"Ten years is a new starting point." He Linguo, leader of the Guangdong-Guangxi cooperation working group in Jinxiu, said that the next step will be to continue to strengthen the entire Yao medicine industry chain, deepen labor order-based training, expand the health care, culture and tourism market in the Greater Bay Area, stabilize production and marketing channels, and continue to provide two-way talents, "promoting the cooperation between the two places from blood transfusion assistance to hematopoietic mutual wealth."
Mountains and seas are not far away, but we work together to reach a long distance. The friendship between mountains and seas spanning 500 kilometers is still writing a new chapter. (over)
