76
Y. Zhang
China. On December 26, 1952, Zhou Enlai pointed out that “soil and water conservation is a long-term and comprehensive task requiring mass efforts. It must be done
in a way suitable for the actual production needs and the mass must be mobilized
and organized for long-term efforts before the expected results can be attained.” In
November 1955, Mao Zedong announced it necessary to solicit advanced experience
from local people to make a good plan for soil and water conservation. In 1959, the
Water and Soil Conservation Committee of the State Council proposed that China
must do a good job in water and soil conservation by relying on the its people and
while striving to develop production. Based on the above, the mass soil and water
conservation movement was launched with strong momentum. Changting County in
Fujian Province is a place of serious red soil erosion in southern China and soil and
water conservation experimental zone was established here in December 1949. Yet
by 1983, only very simple and basic work for soil erosion control had been done and
the problem remained serious. According to remote sensing data of a 1985 survey,
soil erosion was still seen on 1.462 million mu of land in the county, accounting for
nearly one third of the county’s total area. In 1999 and 2001, Comrade Xi Jinping, then
governor of Fujian Province, made two trips to Changting to inspect and guide soil
erosion control work. Then, in late 2011 and early 2012, Xi Jinping, as President of
China, gave two more important instructions on the soil erosion control in Changting.
As of the end of 2012, soil erosion was put under control on 1,281,900 mu of land,
87.7% of the total affected area. Specifically, thorough treatment was completed on
1.0108 million mu of land while only 451,200 mu still suffered from soil erosion,
making a success rate up to 69%. It can be seen that adhering to the mass line and
giving play to the enthusiasm and creativity of the people in soil erosion control
is lies at the core of Changting’s experience. The mass soil and water conservation
campaign built up China’s capacity for sustainable development.
Afforestation. After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, in order to
green the motherland, a massive afforestation campaign was launched. On September
30, 1953, the State Council’s Instructions on Mobilizing the Masses to Carry out
Afforestation and Reforestation Work stated that only by initiating and continuing
with a mass afforestation campaign can we bring about a fundamental change in
China’s basic situation of a low total area of forests; and only if we can gradually
reduce natural disasters, increase agricultural production, add to the income of the
people in mountainous areas, and accumulate more timber resources can we offer
support to the country’s economic development. In the 70 years since the founding
of the People’s Republic of China, a large number of role models have come out in
China’s afforestation efforts. For example, in Youyu County, Shanxi Province, forest
covered only less than 0.3% of the total land area before 1949. Now, 70 years of hard
work by the local people under the leadership of the county Party committee and the
country government have pushed up the forest coverage rate of the county to 54%,
turning mountains green and waters clear. According to available statistics, in the past
70 years, local farmers in Youyu have delivered more than 200 million working days
of volunteer service. President Xi Jinping mentioned Youyu spirit for five times. On
September 28, 2012, Xi instructed that Youyu is a representation of spirit of serving
Y. Zhang
China. On December 26, 1952, Zhou Enlai pointed out that “soil and water conservation is a long-term and comprehensive task requiring mass efforts. It must be done
in a way suitable for the actual production needs and the mass must be mobilized
and organized for long-term efforts before the expected results can be attained.” In
November 1955, Mao Zedong announced it necessary to solicit advanced experience
from local people to make a good plan for soil and water conservation. In 1959, the
Water and Soil Conservation Committee of the State Council proposed that China
must do a good job in water and soil conservation by relying on the its people and
while striving to develop production. Based on the above, the mass soil and water
conservation movement was launched with strong momentum. Changting County in
Fujian Province is a place of serious red soil erosion in southern China and soil and
water conservation experimental zone was established here in December 1949. Yet
by 1983, only very simple and basic work for soil erosion control had been done and
the problem remained serious. According to remote sensing data of a 1985 survey,
soil erosion was still seen on 1.462 million mu of land in the county, accounting for
nearly one third of the county’s total area. In 1999 and 2001, Comrade Xi Jinping, then
governor of Fujian Province, made two trips to Changting to inspect and guide soil
erosion control work. Then, in late 2011 and early 2012, Xi Jinping, as President of
China, gave two more important instructions on the soil erosion control in Changting.
As of the end of 2012, soil erosion was put under control on 1,281,900 mu of land,
87.7% of the total affected area. Specifically, thorough treatment was completed on
1.0108 million mu of land while only 451,200 mu still suffered from soil erosion,
making a success rate up to 69%. It can be seen that adhering to the mass line and
giving play to the enthusiasm and creativity of the people in soil erosion control
is lies at the core of Changting’s experience. The mass soil and water conservation
campaign built up China’s capacity for sustainable development.
Afforestation. After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, in order to
green the motherland, a massive afforestation campaign was launched. On September
30, 1953, the State Council’s Instructions on Mobilizing the Masses to Carry out
Afforestation and Reforestation Work stated that only by initiating and continuing
with a mass afforestation campaign can we bring about a fundamental change in
China’s basic situation of a low total area of forests; and only if we can gradually
reduce natural disasters, increase agricultural production, add to the income of the
people in mountainous areas, and accumulate more timber resources can we offer
support to the country’s economic development. In the 70 years since the founding
of the People’s Republic of China, a large number of role models have come out in
China’s afforestation efforts. For example, in Youyu County, Shanxi Province, forest
covered only less than 0.3% of the total land area before 1949. Now, 70 years of hard
work by the local people under the leadership of the county Party committee and the
country government have pushed up the forest coverage rate of the county to 54%,
turning mountains green and waters clear. According to available statistics, in the past
70 years, local farmers in Youyu have delivered more than 200 million working days
of volunteer service. President Xi Jinping mentioned Youyu spirit for five times. On
September 28, 2012, Xi instructed that Youyu is a representation of spirit of serving