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PR Newswire

CGTN: Yan’an Spirit to inspire rural revitalization drive

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BEIJING, Oct. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Big red apples hanging on trees is a common sight in Nangou Village in the harvest season. It’s one of the villages that’s lifted itself out of poverty by cultivating apple orchards in northwest China’s Yan’an City, Shaanxi Province. 

The city boasts a yearly apple output of 4 million tonnes — one ninth of the total apple output in the world’s largest developing country. 

With a population of around 1,000 people, Nangou Village got rid of poverty in 2018. 

President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, headed directly to Nangou after getting off the train on Wednesday afternoon during his first inspection tour after the conclusion of the 20th CPC National Congress.

In an orchard there, Xi chatted with villagers, asking in detail about how they grew apple trees and picked fruits, what species of apple they planted, what prices their apples were sold at, and about their income. He also inquired about how the village had expanded apple orchards and developed other industries.

“General Secretary Xi asked us about our incomes and I said that we’re doing really well right now,” said villager Zhao Yongdong, adding that the orchard’s income is 50,000 (over $6,800) to 60,000 yuan in a bad harvest year, and that he can earn an extra 10,000 yuan a year if he works at the rural cooperative.

Noting the low humidity and precipitation suitable for apple tree growth on the Loess Plateau in northern Shaanxi, Xi also praised the application of modern technologies including drip irrigation, dwarf planting and fruit selection production lines in improving fruit quality and production efficiency.

Acknowledging the absolute poverty problem as solved, Xi stressed that more efforts need to be continued to improve people’s lives.

“The Communist Party of China is a Party of the people and for the people. The CPC is committed to serving the people and doing a good job for their benefit,” Xi said.

People oriented and hard work is the Yan’an Spirit

What Xi said echoed with the CPC’s fundamental purpose of serving people wholeheartedly, which was first written into the Party Constitution during the seventh CPC National Congress held in Yan’an in 1945.

Hailing Yan‘an as a holy site of the Chinese revolution and the cradle of New China, as veteran revolutionaries including Mao Zedong led China’s revolution from inception to completion, and transformed the prospects of the country, Xi said the spirit of Yan’an also highlights the enterprising spirit of self-reliance and hard work.

Despite the tight blockade by the Kuomintang forces in 1941, the CPC soldiers and local villagers in Nanniwan, Yan’an worked at full steam in the fields wielding hoes and shovels to turn the desolate mountains and barren land of northern Shaanxi into farmland to realize self-sufficiency.

During his inspection of the Hongqi Canal, or the Red Flag Canal, in Linzhou City of central China’s Henan Province on Friday, Xi said the enterprising spirit of self-reliance and hard work in building the canal was inherited and passed on from the Yan’an spirit.

Residents in Linxian County, now known as Linzhou City, used to suffer from the lack of water. In 1960s, local people spent nearly 10 years to build the canal crossing the steep Taihang Mountains, between 800 and 1,736 meters above sea level, to divert water. 

The Red Flag Canal itself is a monument to the heroic spirit of the people of Linxian County who did not resign themselves to fate or give in to defeat, Xi said.

He called on all members of the Party to promote the fighting spirit, strengthen the fighting capacity, resolutely overcome various difficulties and challenges ahead, and harness the indomitable fighting spirit to open up new horizons for the cause of the Party and the country.

The report to the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) stressed the country will continue to put agricultural and rural development first, consolidate and expand achievements in poverty alleviation, and reinforce the foundations for food security on all fronts.

Xi called on Party members to promote rural revitalization in a wholesome manner, implement the policies of enriching villagers, and speed up the modernization of agriculture and rural areas in a bid to help villagers lead a more prosperous life.

https://news.cgtn.com/news/2022-10-31/Yan-an-Spirit-to-inspire-rural-revitalization-drive–1ezSQhg2qjK/index.html

PR Newswire

Nature’s Miracle, a Leader in the Controlled Environment Agriculture Industry, to be Listed on Nasdaq Through Business Combination with Lakeshore Acquisition II Corp.

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  • Nature’s Miracle is a fast-growing agriculture technology company providing services to growers in Controlled Environment Agriculture (“CEA”) settings in North America;
  • Nature’s Miracle provides hardware as well as software to design, build and operate various indoor growing settings including greenhouse, vertical farming and indoor-growing spaces;
  • Nature’s Miracle, through its two wholly-owned subsidiaries, Visiontech Group, Inc. and Hydroman, Inc., provides grow lights as well as other hydroponic products to hundreds of indoor growers in North America;
  • Nature’s Miracle has also developed a robust pipeline to build commercial-scale greenhouse in the U.S. and Canada to meet the growing needs of fresh and local vegetable products. The Company offers turnkey solutions to its operating partners by providing design, construction and hardware installment services;
  • Nature’s Miracle has established its first manufacturing footprint in North America with its grow-light assembly plant in Manitoba, Canada and is expecting to set up additional manufacturing/assembly facilities in North America;
  • The implied pro-forma enterprise value of the combined company is approximately $265 million, assuming no redemptions from the trust account. The business combination is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2023;
  • This transaction is expected to accelerate Nature’s Miracle’s development of commercial greenhouse in the U.S. and Canada.

UPLAND, Calif., Sept. 10, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Nature’s Miracle Inc. (“Nature’s Miracle”), a leader in the Controlled Environment Agriculture Industry, and Lakeshore Acquisition II Corp. (“together with its successors, Lakeshore”) (Nasdaq: LBBB) today announced that they have entered into a definitive business combination agreement (the “Merger Agreement”). Upon closing, the combined company is expected to change its name to Nature’s Miracle Holding Inc. and its common stock is expected to be traded on the Nasdaq Global Market.

Management Comments

“In the face of global energy shortage, food security, drought and life-style change, Nature’s Miracle is excited to offer an alternative farming mode which saves transportation cost, reduces irrigation water requirements by up to 90% and ensures fresh and local supply of produces for health-conscious consumers. We have developed a robust pipeline of greenhouse projects in the U.S. and Canada for the next twenty-four months,” said Tie “James” Li, Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Nature’s Miracle. “By combining with Lakeshore, Nature’s Miracle will be able to tap into the public equity and debt market to fund its aggressive growth plan going forward. We look forward to working with Lakeshore team to complete the transaction and to list on Nasdaq.”

“We are thrilled to partner with Nature’s Miracle on its public company journey,” said Bill Chen, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Lakeshore. “After learning of Nature’s Miracle’s business model and its position in the rapidly growing Controlled Environment Agriculture market, we immediately realized the vast potential for the Company’s growth in this very important market segment.”

Key Transaction Terms

Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, Nature’s Miracle will merge with LBBB Merger Sub Inc., a Delaware corporation and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Lakeshore (the “Merger”), with Nature’s Miracle surviving and Lakeshore acquiring 100% of the equity securities of Nature’s Miracle. In exchange for their equity securities, the stockholders of Nature’s Miracle (the “Company Stockholders”) will receive an aggregate number of shares of common stock of Lakeshore (the “Merger Consideration”) with an aggregate value equal to: (a) two hundred thirty million U.S. dollars ($230,000,000), minus (b) any Closing Net Indebtedness (as defined in the Merger Agreement).

The Merger has been approved by the boards of directors of each of Lakeshore and Nature’s Miracle. The Merger will require the approval of the stockholders of Lakeshore and Nature’s Miracle and is subject to other customary closing conditions, including a registration statement on Form S-4 being declared effective by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2023.

Advisors

Hunter Taubman Fischer & Li LLC. is acting as legal advisor to Nature’s Miracle and Loeb & Loeb is acting as legal advisor to Lakeshore. Maxim Group is acting as M&A advisor to Lakeshore.

Management Presentation

A presentation made by the management teams of both Nature’s Miracle and Lakeshore regarding the transaction will be available on the websites of Nature’s Miracle at https: //www.Nature-Miracle.com and Lakeshore at https://www.lakeshoreacquisition.com/tzzy. Lakeshore will also file the presentation with the SEC in a Current Report on Form 8-K, which will be accessible at www.sec.gov.

About Lakeshore Acquisition II Corp.

Lakeshore Acquisition II Corp. is a blank check company, also commonly referred to as a special purpose acquisition company, or SPAC, formed for the purpose of effecting a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses or entities.

About Nature’s Miracle Holdings Inc.

Nature’s Miracle is a fast-growing agriculture technology company providing services to growers in the Controlled Environment Agriculture (“CEA”) industry which also include vertical farming in North America. The Company offers integrated solutions which include hardware as well as software to design, build and operate various indoor growing settings including greenhouse and indoor-growing spaces. Nature’s Miracle, through its two wholly-owned subsidiaries, Visiontech Group, Inc. and Hydroman, Inc., provides grow lights as well as other hydroponic products to hundreds of indoor growers in North America. Nature’s Miracle has also developed a robust pipeline to build commercial-scale greenhouse in the U.S. and Canada to meet the growing needs of fresh and local vegetable products. The Company offers turnkey solutions to its operating partners by providing the design, construction and hardware installment services; Nature’s Miracle has established its first manufacturing footprint in North America with its grow-light assembly plant in Manitoba, Canada and is expected to set up additional manufacturing/assembly facilities in North America.  

Important Information About the Proposed Business Combination and Where to Find It

This press release relates to a proposed business combination between Lakeshore and Nature’s Miracle. A full description of the terms of the business combination will be provided in a Registration Statement on Form S-4 and proxy statement to be filed with the SEC by Lakeshore. The proxy statement will be mailed to Lakeshore’s shareholders as of a record date to be established for voting at the shareholders’ meeting relating to the proposed transactions. This press release does not contain all the information that should be considered concerning the proposed business combination and is not intended to form the basis of any investment decision or any other decision in respect of the proposed business combination. Lakeshore’s shareholders and other interested persons are advised to read, when available, the Registration Statement on Form S-4 and proxy statement and the amendments thereto and other documents filed in connection with the proposed business combination, as these materials will contain important information about Nature’s Miracle, Lakeshore and the proposed business combination. The Registration Statement on Form S-4 and the proxy statement and other documents filed with the SEC, once available, may be obtained without charge at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov, or by directing a written request to Lakeshore, 667 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10065.

Participants in the Solicitation

Lakeshore, certain shareholders of Lakeshore, and their respective directors and executive officers may be deemed participants in the solicitation of proxies from Lakeshore’s shareholders with respect to the proposed business combination. A list of the names of Lakeshore’s directors and executive officers and a description of their interests in Lakeshore is contained in Lakeshore’s registration statement on Form S-1, which was filed with the SEC and is available free of charge at the SEC’s web site at www.sec.gov, or by directing a written request to Lakeshore, 667 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10065. Additional information regarding the interests of such participants will be contained in the Registration Statement on Form S-4 and proxy statement for the proposed business combination when available.

Nature’s Miracle and its directors and executive officers may also be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from the shareholders of Lakeshore in connection with the proposed business combination. A list of the names of such directors and executive officers and information regarding their interests in the proposed business combination will be included in the proxy statement for the proposed business combination when available.

Forward-looking Statements

Except for historical information contained herein, this press release contains certain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the federal U.S. securities laws with respect to the proposed business combination between Lakeshore and Nature’s Miracle, the benefits of the transaction, the amount of cash the transaction will provide Nature’s Miracle, the anticipated timing of the transaction, the services and markets of Nature’s Miracle, our expectations regarding future growth, results of operations, performance, future capital and other expenditures, competitive advantages, business prospects and opportunities, future plans and intentions, results, level of activities, performance, goals or achievements or other future events. These forward-looking statements generally are identified by words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “expect,” “may,” “could,” “will,” “potential,” “intend,” “estimate,” “should,” “plan,” “predict,” or the negative or other variations of such statements, reflect our management’s current beliefs and assumptions and are based on the information currently available to our management. Forward-looking statements are predictions, projections and other statements about future events that are based on current expectations and assumptions and, as a result, are subject to risks and uncertainties. Many factors could cause actual results or developments to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including but not limited to: (i) the risk that the transaction may not be completed in a timely manner or at all, which may adversely affect the price of Lakeshore’s securities; (ii) the risk that the transaction may not be completed by Lakeshore’s business combination deadline and the potential failure to obtain an extension of the business combination deadline if sought by Lakeshore; (iii) the failure to satisfy the conditions to the consummation of the transaction, including the approval of the business combination agreement by the stockholders of Lakeshore, the satisfaction of the minimum cash amount following any redemptions by Lakeshore’s public stockholders and the receipt of certain governmental and regulatory approvals; (iv) the lack of a third-party valuation in determining whether or not to pursue the proposed transaction; (v) the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstance that could give rise to the termination of the business combination agreement; (vi) the effect of the announcement or pendency of the transaction on Nature’s Miracle’s business relationships, operating results and business generally; (vii) risks that the proposed transaction disrupts current plans and operations of Nature’s Miracle; (viii) the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against Nature’s Miracle or Lakeshore related to the business combination agreement or the proposed transaction; (ix) the ability to maintain the listing of Lakeshore’s securities on a national securities exchange; (x) changes in the competitive industries in which Nature’s Miracle operates, variations in operating performance across competitors, changes in laws and regulations affecting Nature’s Miracle’s business and changes in the combined capital structure; (xi) the ability to implement business plans, forecasts and other expectations after the completion of the proposed transaction, and identify and realize additional opportunities; (xii) the risk of downturns in the market and Nature’s Miracle’s industry including, but not limited to, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic; (xiii) costs related to the transaction and the failure to realize anticipated benefits of the transaction or to realize estimated pro forma results and underlying assumptions, including with respect to estimated stockholder redemptions; (xiv) risks and uncertainties related to Nature’s Miracle’s business, including, but not limited to risks relating to the uncertainty of the projected financial information with respect to Nature’s Miracle; risks related to Nature’s Miracle’s limited operating history, the roll-out of Nature’s Miracle’s business and the timing of expected business milestones; Nature’s Miracle’s ability to implement its business plan and scale its business; Nature’s Miracle’s ability to develop products and technologies that are more effective or commercially attractive than competitors’ products; Nature’s Miracle’s ability to maintain accelerate rate of growth recently due to lifestyle changes in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic; risks of increased costs as a result of being a public company; risks relating to Nature’s Miracle’s being unable to renew the leases of their facilities and warehouses; Nature’s Miracle’s ability to grow the size of its organization and management in response of the increase of sales and marketing infrastructure; risks relating to potential tariffs or a global trade war that could increase the cost of Nature’s Miracle’s products; risks relating to product liability lawsuits that could be brought against Nature’s Miracle;; Nature’s Miracle’s ability to formulate, implement and modify as necessary effective sales, marketing, and strategic initiatives to drive revenue growth; Nature’s Miracle’s ability to expand internationally; acceptance by the marketplace of the products and services that Nature’s Miracle markets; and government regulations and Nature’s Miracle’s ability to obtain applicable regulatory approvals and comply with government regulations. The foregoing list of factors is not exclusive. You should carefully consider the foregoing factors and the other risks and uncertainties described in the “Risk Factors” section of proxy statement, when available, and other documents filed by Lakeshore from time to time with the SEC. These filings identify and address other important risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events and results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made, and neither Nature’s Miracle nor Lakeshore assume any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements or other information contained herein, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. You are cautioned not to put undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Neither Lakeshore nor Nature’s Miracle gives any assurance that either Lakeshore or Nature’s Miracle, or the combined company, will achieve its expectations.

Non-solicitation

This press release is not a proxy statement or solicitation of a proxy, consent or authorization with respect to any securities or in respect of the potential business combination or any other matter and shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy the securities of Lakeshore, Nature’s Miracle or the combined company, nor shall there be any sale of any such securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation, or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of such state or jurisdiction. No offer of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

Contacts

info@nature-miracle.com

Source: Lakeshore Acquisition II Corp.

PR Newswire

CCTV+: Xi inspects Shihezi City of Xinjiang

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BEIJING, July 15, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, paid a visit to Shihezi City on Wednesday afternoon during his inspection tour of northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

Xi visited the Army Reclamation Museum and a local regiment of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps to learn about the history of the corps’ achievements in reclaiming the land, guarding the frontier, building and consolidating grassroots organizations, developing agriculture with local characteristics and promoting the integrated development of the corps and local communities.

PR Newswire

South-South Cooperation Knowledge Sharing Platform Goes Live

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A news report by WFP China COE: The World Food Programme (WFP)-China South-South Cooperation Knowledge Sharing Platform (www.wfpchinacoe.net) launch ceremony was held at the UN Compound on April 15, 2022.

BEIJING, April 18, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — The World Food Programme (WFP)-China South-South Cooperation (SSC) Knowledge Sharing Platform (www.wfpchinacoe.net) launch ceremony was held at the UN Compound on April 15, 2022. More than 100 representatives from Chinese government, foreign missions in China, international organizations and academia, attended the event either online or in person.

The platform was supported by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of the People’s Republic of China (MARA), and jointly developed by WFP Centre of Excellence for Rural Transformation (WFP China COE) and China Internet Information Center (CIIC).

Visitors can access information on the platform about China’s experiences and solutions in the following four thematic areas: Value Chain Development for Smallholders, Post-harvest Loss Management and Food Systems, Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Resilience, and Innovative Poverty Alleviation Initiative. These can help empower them to enhance food security in their local areas.

The platform also offers Cloud School, an inclusive digital education space, which features programmes that are tailored to the needs of participants of all levels. It is a response to the rising demand for China’s vetted knowledge about food security, nutrition improvement, poverty alleviation and rural transformation. Courses offered in Cloud School reflect WFP China COE’s work on the four thematic areas, as well as the value chain development in rice, Juncao and cassava. Certificates of completion are awarded to those who successfully finish them.

Xie Jianmin, Counsel (Director-General Level) of Department of International Cooperation, MARA, noted that the WFP-China SSC Knowledge Sharing Platform, as a knowledge hub, will make contributions to food security and nutrition improvement by enabling visitors to learn about experiences and practices related to China’s agricultural and rural development.

Du Zhanyuan, President of China International Communications Group (CICG), said CICG will take new formats such as digital media and publishing as an important developing direction to provide digital support for South-South cooperation projects, promote capacity-building and knowledge sharing for development in developing countries, and promote more inclusive and sustainable digital economic cooperation with partners together.

Cao Yingjun, Acting Director General of China’s National Food and Strategic Reserves Administration’s Department of International Cooperation, emphasised that the Administration is willing to share and exchange China’s experience with other countries in ensuring food security and advancing the transformation of the food system, and make joint contributions to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Rahamtalla Osman, Representative of the African Union to China, observed that the website’s educational programmes will enhance South-South and triangular cooperation between China and Africa.

Siddharth Chatterjee, UN Resident Coordinator in China, remarked that China has an important opportunity and responsibility to lead and guide other developing countries, leveraging its experience, expertise, and resources to serve and benefit the Global South.

Qu Sixi, Representative of WFP China, concluded in his video remarks that the Knowledge Sharing Platform provides a digitalised space for WFP China COE to boost operational engagement related to South-South and triangular cooperation. It’s a viable pathway to address common challenges and to accelerate progress towards zero hunger.

South-South Cooperation Knowledge Sharing Platform Goes Live

http://p.china.org.cn/2022-04/15/content_78168353.htm

About WFP-China South-South Cooperation Knowledge Sharing Platform (www.wfpchinacoe.net):

Visitors can access information on the platform about China’s experiences and solutions in the following four thematic areas: Value Chain Development for Smallholders, Post-harvest Loss Management and Food Systems, Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Resilience, and Innovative Poverty Alleviation Initiative. The platform also offers Cloud School, an inclusive digital education space, which features programmes that are tailored to the needs of participants of all levels. It is a response to the rising demand for China’s vetted knowledge about food security, nutrition improvement, poverty alleviation and rural transformation.

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PR Newswire

Take a Look Under The Hood of Award Winning Fruit Tech Startup Hectre

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  • Hectre are bringing clever simplicity to the US orchard industry, delivering gains to fruit farmers
  • The popular NZ fruit tech company were named winners in the global AgTech BreakThrough Awards and are now double finalists in another prestigious awards program
  • Take a look under the hood of this Kiwi success story and find out what makes them shine

AUCKLAND, New Zealand, April 6, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — For many businesses, 2021 was a wild ride, but despite the challenges, some companies shone. Popular NZ fruit tech company Hectre (pronounced Hectare) was a definite sparkler, winning at the global AgTech BreakThrough Awards and gaining a reputation for best in class among the US apple growing industry.

The clever simplicity of the Hectre Orchard Management App on show. Jason Woodworth, CEO of Lamont Fruit Farms uses Hectre and says the bilingual capability and ease of use has been a huge plus for their company. Harvest data, labor tracking and quality control are all captured in real time, flowing through to yield and labor reporting, and auto generating payroll data. Hectre customers can print waterproof bin tickets right in the field, straight off a mobile printer.
The clever simplicity of the Hectre Orchard Management App on show. Jason Woodworth, CEO of Lamont Fruit Farms uses Hectre and says the bilingual capability and ease of use has been a huge plus for their company. Harvest data, labor tracking and quality control are all captured in real time, flowing through to yield and labor reporting, and auto generating payroll data. Hectre customers can print waterproof bin tickets right in the field, straight off a mobile printer.

Extremely high tech, but so very easy to use. Hectre’s Spectre for Apples app detects and sizes apples straight off a photo on an iPad, in the field or in the packhouse, with results served up in seconds. Early fruit sizing has never been simpler.
Extremely high tech, but so very easy to use. Hectre’s Spectre for Apples app detects and sizes apples straight off a photo on an iPad, in the field or in the packhouse, with results served up in seconds. Early fruit sizing has never been simpler.

It’s time to take a look under the hood to discover how this innovative company, built with buckets of “Kiwi” work ethic and a huge passion to deliver “better”, has gone on to become one of the most exciting agritech companies on the global stage.

Last week, and perhaps unsurprisingly, Hectre were named finalists in two categories at the prestigious NZ Hi-Tech Awards. How did they arrive at this point?

It all started with an apple. It was 2016 and Hectre was a team of three visionary co-founders, who upon learning of the daily struggles faced by apple growers, set out to find a better way. In consultation with a group of growers, they created the design for the Hectre Orchard Management App and importantly, growers backed them.

Simon Easton, co-owner of Wairepo Orchards, grows apples near Nelson, in NZ’s South Island, and still remembers when one of the founders, Menilik Dyer, turned up at his orchard with a large notebook and asked, “As a grower, what is it that you need that we could help with?” Easton was sick to death of writing out bin tickets – the labels that must go with each full fruit bin detailing the immense amount of origin data that growers have to capture (it’s even greater now).

Easton is a numbers man and is driven by continually improving the performance of his orchard. He wants to get his hands on data so he can hone in on what’s working well and identify opportunities to perform even better. He’s enjoyed seeing the journey of the Hectre app from those early days to where it is now. “Being able to get cost info out of Hectre is awesome. To know that picking cost me this amount and pruning cost me that amount…I just love all of that.” 

“We’ve always been keen to roll up our sleeves, get alongside growers and learn everything we can from them. I think they respect the fact that we genuinely value their insights, their skills and their extraordinary commitment to what has to be one of the hardest industries to be in. When you consider that fruit growers only get one chance each year to make money (after harvest), and the rest of the time they’re slogging their guts out and pouring in funds. It takes bravery and an immense amount of care and hard work to survive and thrive. Our team is continually in awe of the growers we work with,” says Hectre Co-founder and CEO, Matty Blomfield.

In the first few years, Hectre built out the Hectre Orchard Management App, an app that enables fruit growers to digitise their orchards, removing all the double and triple handling of paper they traditionally deal with and the wasted time that goes with it. Growers can manage all their labour through the app, including auto calculation of piece rates, plus integration with payroll programs. The ability to gain insights on the performance of pickers and fruit quality, delivers direct benefits as growers continue to battle the challenges rising from the pandemic and environmental factors.

Those early relationships formed with NZ fruit growers, led to invaluable introductions to growers in one of the world’s apple growing meccas, Washington, USA. “I remember one of our first US trips. We had recognised how important it was to have boots on the ground. So, with no appointments in place, we booked a flight to the US and then glued ourselves to the phone, calling up every grower we could and telling them we’d be in their area next week and could we meet,” reflects Blomfield.

The app now covers numerous fruit types such as apples, pears, high value cherries, kiwifruit and more. And the Hectre app is currently being used by fruit growers and packers in 11 countries, including US industry giants Washington Fruit & Produce and Borton Fruit.

“The platform and tools they’ve built support fruit growers of all sizes, from small family farms, to large integrated global fruit institutions. We believe Hectre’s dedication to constant innovation provides a significant competitive advantage and aligns well with our own approach to business,” says Byron Borton, Chief Visionary Officer at Borton Fruit.

Hectre’s innovation approach has centred on what they term, “clever simplicity”. Creating leading edge tech for fruit growers and packers, with user simplicity at the forefront. Kylie Hall, Marketing Manager at Hectre, says that focus on clever simplicity has created a unique market advantage and one Hectre has become known for. “We recognise that it’s not enough to just create awesome technology. We’ve got to be fully focused on who will be using that tech and how we can make it as simple as possible. That way, users can learn quickly, and our customers can optimise their tech investment, gaining full benefit from their spend.”

In Waterport, New York, Lamont Fruit Farms are using Hectre’s Orchard Management App. CEO Jason Woodworth says the insights are excellent. “Hectre is now the tool we use to evaluate all of our blocks in the true sense of real time. You can track each and every project and monitor costs from the start of pruning until the end of harvest. The staff are fantastic with support and are always thinking forward.”

Two years ago, Hectre launched Spectre for Apples, a computer vision AI app that helps fruit growers and packers assess the size of their fruit, from the very first pick. In an industry where size really does matter, it’s a crucial piece of information, enabling improved decision-making regarding storage and packing, and empowering growers and packers to secure sales orders earlier than ever before.

Spectre works straight off an iPad or iPhone and serves up sizing information within seconds. Users simply take a photo on their iPad and Spectre will detect and size more than 100 pieces of fruit from the fruit bin. Mobile, fast and simple. “We’ve since developed Spectre models to meet the needs of citrus packers too and are working with pilot customers this US harvest for Spectre for Cherries,” notes Hectre R&D Manager, Luke Butters. The pilot was quickly oversubscribed.

The upcoming US apple harvest will see yet another leading-edge innovation delivered by Hectre, this time focused on providing insights for huge US apple packhouses. It will be another world first piece of fruit tech, developed by a Kiwi company shining brightly. “We’ll share more about that later,” grins Butters.

Today, Hectre now has the collective talents of a team of 34, spread across NZ, the US and Vietnam. “Our tech is delivering huge benefits for both growers and packers, but it’s our people that really make the difference. Our people uncover the needs. They build our tech. They help growers learn our tech and they support the success of our customers. Each of them is humble, caring, hard working and hugely supportive of each other. They are our secret ingredient, and we value them highly,” adds Hall.

David Downs, Chair of the NZ Hi-Tech Trust which organises the NZ Hi-Tech Awards program, says the standard of entries continues to grow each year. “This year’s finalists span the full spectrum of the hi-tech sector, and the level of innovative tech products and solutions continues to astound us all.” Hectre has been named a finalist for both the Most Innovative Hi-Tech Agritech Solution and for Hi-Tech StartUp Company of the Year.

About Hectre

Hectre is an award winning startup empowering fruit growers and packers with the world’s simplest to use orchard technologies. Originating in New Zealand, with teams in the US, NZ and Vietnam, Hectre creates simple to use, leading edge orchard management and mobile fruit sizing apps. With the Hectre app fruit growers can digitise their orchard management processes, saving time and money, and getting more of their fruit to market, enhancing their financial sustainability. Fruit packers can increase their early size sample rates by up to 3000%, gaining access to sizing data as soon as the fruit is picked, enabling better decision making, reduced costs and achieving greater sales. To learn more about Hectre, please visit www.hectre.com

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PR Newswire

Edible fungus industry stimulates rural revitalization in Guiyang

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BEIJING, Jan. 5, 2022 — A news report from China Daily on Guiyang.

Success of agricultural sector sees output and profits of Guizhou province rise substantially.

As a key edible fungus demonstration zone in Guizhou province, Baiyun district in Guiyang city is integrating the industry with modern technologies and boosting the high-quality development of the entire industrial chain through a series of initiatives, said local officials.

Edible fungus is one of Guizhou’s 12 major characteristic agricultural industries. In the past four years, the province’s edible fungus output has increased by 51.4 percent per year and its value has increased by 60.7 percent per year.

A farmer holds a basket of edible fungus ready for selling. [photo/China Daily]
A farmer holds a basket of edible fungus ready for selling. [photo/China Daily]

In 2020, the output of edible fungi in Guizhou reached 1.48 million metric tons, with an output value of 18.4 billion yuan ($2.89 billion).

The growth rate ranks first in the country, and the overall scale pushes it into the top 10 in the country.

As of the end of October, a total of 21 edible fungus bases have been built in Baiyun. Since 2016, 176.9 million fungus sticks have been planted, with an output of 86,700 tons and an output value of 1.02 billion yuan.

The edible fungus in Baiyun is equipped with a full chain tracking management model from the production, cultivation, processing and certification to testing phases.

Liao Yiren, manager of Intelligent Fungus Cloud, an online platform for the entire industry chain of edible fungi, said based on cutting-edge technologies such as big data, the internet of things and artificial intelligence, the platform focuses on areas of production, planting, processing, supply and marketing, certification and testing.

To date, the platform has established 31 data collection points, with 15 edible fungus companies, cooperatives, bases, and large households.

Guizhou Jukong Technology is one of the enterprises on the platform. It has established the first intelligent base for rare edible fungi in Baiyun, which not only improves the standardization and automation of edible fungi production, but also the utilization rate of agricultural resources as well as easing the shortage of land resources.

Zou Liqin, 49, a local villager in Asuo village working at the edible fungus base, said she is thankful for the job. "Working eight hours a day, I can earn 4,000 yuan a month. It takes me five minutes to ride an electric bike from home. It is very convenient to take care of my children."

To date, the base has employed more than 50 local farmers.

Guizhou Zhongke Yinong Technology is another edible fungus processing enterprise in this area.

"This is a freeze-dried morel mushroom. Based on the base pre-harvest period and pre-production data provided by the platform, combining with the actual situation of the edible fungus entering the processing plant to its storage, we reasonably arrange the processing time and processing quantity, and implement planned processing," said Zhang Ke, chairman of the company.

"We use the processing workshop module to provide standardized production parameters to ensure that downstream companies’ requirements for the production standards of primary processed products are met.

"At the same time, we have gradually formed our own standardized production system. The data and videos of the processing workshop make the processing steps more transparent and help with standardization," he added.

In order-based procurement and sales, the company can sign order-based production agreements with upstream and downstream companies through the system and implement order-based production and sales planning arrangements. The production end is only responsible for planting and processing, and the platform is responsible for sales.

In the Guizhou Mushroom Museum, visitors can understand all the information about the entire industrial chain process of the products from rod making, cultivation and processing to sales.

They can also use blockchain technology to ensure the safety and reliability of information and data, and help producers build trust in quality and safety assurance.

Covering a total construction area of nearly 2,000 square meters, the Guizhou Mushroom Museum includes functional areas of science, culture, creativity and research.

The museum introduces edible fungi-related knowledge and their development through graphic introductions, specimen displays and taste activities.

Fan Xuanxiang, deputy director of the education bureau of Baiyun, said the district will enhance edible fungus education and launch research activities to boost the local culture.

Last year is the first year of the implementation of the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-25) and a crucial year for comprehensively promoting rural revitalization.

Guiyang will strive to make new breakthroughs in rural revitalization and make positive contributions to the construction of a vibrant Guizhou. On Sept 26, Hu Zhongxiong, a member of the Standing Committee of the Guizhou Provincial Party Committee and Party secretary of Guiyang, presided over a special meeting on agricultural modernization in Guiyang. He said that it is necessary to stabilize the basic agricultural market.

Guiyang’s economic growth has increased by 284.3 percent in the past 10 years. In 2020, there are more than 5,000 big data companies in Guiyang and the added value of the digital economy exceeded 160 billion yuan, accounting for more than 38 percent of the region’s GDP.

"Big data has become an important engine for Guiyang’s high-quality development, allowing Guiyang to stand at the forefront of the world to showcase its beauty to all," said Ma Ningyu, deputy Party secretary and acting mayor of Guiyang.

"At present, Guiyang is promoting the deep integration of big data and rural revitalization," Ma said.

During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, Guiyang will promote the construction of optical fiber connections in administrative villages, optimize the extension of the 5G network of administrative villages to natural villages with more than 30 households and increase the scale and functions of radio and television cloud coverage.

Guiyang will build a national digital agriculture and rural innovation center and a digital agriculture application promotion base, develop smart agriculture, and promote the use of information technologies such as IoT, AI, and blockchain in agricultural planting, breeding, processing and logistics.

PR Newswire

JD.com Plans to Double Imports of Sunkist Citrus Over the Next Three Years

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BEIJING, Dec. 20, 2021 — JD Fresh, the fresh produce business of JD.com announced a plan to double the imports of Sunkist’s citrus fruits in the next three years as the American citrus grower cooperative’s first export ship of newly harvested navel oranges arrived in Shanghai from Long Beach, California in mid-December.

The rising demand for high-quality fresh produce is a prominent trend amid China’s consumption upgrade. JD.com became an authorized e-commerce direct-sourcing partner of Sunkist’s citrus fruits in China since 2018, the company has seen a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 60% in Sunkist’s fresh citrus sales in the past years, and it plans to import no less than 10,000 tons of the premium citrus within the next three years.

Sunkist’s farmers in California sent off the first ship of seasonal navel oranges to JD Fresh in China
Sunkist’s farmers in California sent off the first ship of seasonal navel oranges to JD Fresh in China

"Thanks to our close collaboration with Sunkist and JD’s cold-chain logistic strength, we have created a highly efficient way to supply the in-season citrus directly from farm trees around the world to the dining tables of Chinese customers throughout the year at a better price and faster speed," said Wei Ye, general manager of JD Fresh.

"As people have greater need for healthy fresh food and are becoming more and more customized to shop for them online after the pandemic, we are confident to support Sunkist to further grow in the China market," he added.

"We are grateful for the opportunity to deliver fresh California-grown Sunkist citrus to consumers in China," said Christina Ward, Sr. Director of Global Marketing at Sunkist Growers, Inc.  "Through JD.com, we can educate millennial consumers on the in-season availability, flavor attributes, and nutritional benefits of our fruit."

Sunkist Growers is a citrus marketing cooperative, founded in 1893, which is owned by and operated for thousands of family farmers growing citrus in California and Arizona. The variety of its fresh citrus products include oranges, lemons, limes, mandarins and more. The seasonal navel oranges from the sunny California groves feature a refreshingly sweet and juicy taste, pleasant floral aroma and a bright orange, seedless interior.

Upon the ship’s arrival in China, following the custom quality inspection, the navel oranges will be sent directly to JD’s self-operated cold chain warehouses. The fruits will be put in JD customized packages and go straight to customers’ door steps through JD’s nationwide logistics network. JD’s cold-chain logistics for fresh produce, which range from same-day delivery to two-hour flash delivery, are the standard services available in more than 300 cities across China, allowing consumers in both coastal and inland regions to enjoy the freshest Sunkist products.

China is the largest importer for Sunkist citrus, accounting for about 30% of its global exports. Despite the headwinds in trade and supply chain in the past year, JD.com and Sunkist have continued to work together to ensure stable and smooth supplies to China and made the brand achieve first in sales among all the imported American citrus brands during the 2020-2021 season.

According to statistics from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) in September, U.S. citrus exports have dropped by 6% between 2020-2021 as compared to the previous season, primarily due to a smaller fresh-market crop. Under such circumstances, it is even more critical for the two sides to strengthen their partnership as a good indicator for the support of Sunkist’s farmers and the brand’s fans in China.

PR Newswire

China.org.cn: Shuicheng’s science-driven resource transformation model prompts rural development revolution

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BEIJING, Oct. 20, 2021 — A news report by China.org.cn on how science helps karst-based Shuicheng district in China’s Guizhou province to harness advantages and characteristics in order to reduce poverty and achieve rural vitalization.

 

Shuicheng district locates in Guizhou province’s Liupanshui city. It is a typically karst region and has historically suffered from high levels of poverty. In 2012, the Wuhan Botanical Garden of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (WBGCAS) harnessed its humid subtropical climate and fertile soil resources to grow red kiwifruit and develop the local fruit industry. This initiative went on to transform the lives of poor households in the area. In fact, development of the local red kiwifruit industry has helped to drastically reduce poverty rate in Shuicheng, which fell from 28.86 percent in 2014 to 1.15 percent in 2020. The WBGCAS staff provided practical support and conducted professional training for local farmers, which has improved the industrial level of planting, and significantly increased yields and profits.

Shuicheng’s science-driven poverty alleviation model is bolstered by its rural resource transformation, a process that optimized the use of resources and funds and transformed the local farmers into company shareholders. Zhang Rongquan, who works as a senior agronomist of the Management Committee of the Eastern Agricultural Industrial Park in Shuicheng, commented on this achievement: "This rural resource transformation strategy originated in the Miluo Township of Shuicheng. It was first implemented at Miluo’s local red kiwifruit industrial base. The reform strategy was initiated by the local government in an effort to increase the incomes of villagers. This was achieved by making the best use of land resources, helping locals enhance their social capital and creating jobs for the unemployed in rural areas."

Yan Tingyin is one of the many villagers who have benefited from the development of the red kiwifruit industry. He told a china.org.cn reporter, "Our industry has achieved more output with the help of the CAS, and we’re earning more and leading a better life. I hope that when I can finally plant kiwifruit in my hometown, my kids will have a better education and achieve good grades. We need to strengthen our kiwifruit sector. We have all agreed that our kiwifruit industry is lucrative."

China succeeded in eradicating absolute poverty and building a moderately prosperous society in 2020, and the country is now more committed than ever to realizing its rural vitalization agenda. Many people believe that rural industrial development can build a bridge between poverty alleviation and rural vitalization. Zhong Caihong, who works as director of the research team on kiwifruit resources and breeding at the WBGCAS, is one of them. Since 2012, Zhong and her team have been conducting a field study in Shuicheng, which has helped to draw up a plan for developing a sustainable kiwifruit industry. "After much discussion and analysis, our research team soon realized that this area was crying out for experts to come up with a concrete solution [to rural underdevelopment and poverty]. In areas with suitable conditions for kiwifruit cultivation, we helped farmers lay out a plan for the establishment of an agricultural industrial park, and provided detailed training and on-site direction. We have since introduced a new variety of red kiwifruit called Donghong, which has CAS patent coverage," Zhong said.

"We have increased fruit varieties, grown more resilient fruit, and trained a number of farmers and local technicians who mainly came from municipal and county-level agriculture bureaus. A big part of our work is training staff from local enterprises. In recent years, we have established demonstration and pilot zones to train villagers, which has helped realize human resources development," Zhong added.

The introduction of new varieties and provision of training have resulted in positive outcomes. Such achievements were echoed by Chen Meiyan, a researcher from WBGCAS, who commented, "Many people have benefited from the kiwifruit industry. In order to benefit more villagers, we aim to expand planting areas. We now intend to increase our planting altitude by another 300 meters and introduce new fruit varieties. This will allow more locals to benefit [from rural development and vitalization]. Our next step is to help reduce labor production costs by experimenting with some new cultivation models. Our goal is to achieve high-quality growth across the entire industry and bring our industrial benefits to a new level."

However, the path to rural vitalization is not that easy. To combat challenges along the way, the Chinese Academy of Sciences has been continuously providing Shuicheng with scientific and practical assistance. In the phase of development, the WBGCAS plans to enhance locals’ planting skills by rolling out more universal training and building more demonstration sites.

Zhong Caihong believes that it is crucial for villagers to see and benefit from the positive outcomes of these demonstration sites. "Rural vitalization is, in its essence, industrial revitalization. Recent successes show that local prosperity can be achieved through renovating villages and improving rural infrastructure," she said.

"The seed industry is the agricultural lifeline of our country. We, as scientific and technological workers, must first succeed in developing the seed industry. We also need to do a good job of research in the industry to help with the creation and cultivation of new varieties. I also hope to train a large number of young people [in the future]. I am really happy to see that many graduate students have started to work for our kiwifruit industry in recent years. I am very happy to see young people join in and help invigorate the industry,” Zhong smiled as she recalled.

Shuicheng’s science-driven resource transformation model prompts rural development revolution

http://en.chinagate.cn/2021-10/20/content_77821092.htm
http://p.china.org.cn/2021-10/20/content_77821045.htm

 

PR Newswire

UPL Announces Long-term Collaboration With Chr. Hansen To Develop And Commercialize Microbial Solutions For Sustainable Agriculture

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– UPL is the largest manufacturer and distributor of biosolutions worldwide, fifth-largest agribusiness globally.

– Chr. Hansen is the owner of one of the world’s largest commercial collections of bacteria, with more than 28,000 strains

– The biosolutions market set to grow to $10bn* USD by 2025 as consumers demand more sustainable food systems

MUMBAI, India, Oct. 16, 2021 — UPL Ltd. (‘UPL’) (NSE: UPL) (BSE: 512070), a world-leading champion of sustainable agriculture and OpenAg™, has announced a long-term strategic collaboration with Chr. Hansen, a global bioscience company, to develop microbial-based biosolutions (including biostimulants and biopesticides) that will help growers around the world fight pests and diseases, and improve crop quality and yields.

Through this collaboration, UPL will use its global presence to undertake research and identify opportunities and product concepts to address farmers’ pain points. From these insights, Chr. Hansen will design biological products based on their microbial capabilities and UPL will register and commercialize these products via its extensive global distribution network.

UPL is the world’s largest manufacturer and distributor of biosolutions, and earlier this year launched ‘NPP – Natural Plant Protection’ – a new global business unit  championing UPL’s comprehensive portfolio of natural and biologically derived agricultural inputs and technologies.

Vicente Gongora, Chief Marketing Officer at UPL Ltd. said:

"Biosolutions are a core pillar of our global purpose and work to reimagine sustainability – for food systems, for farmers, and for our environment. Building on the launch of NPP earlier in the year, we are proud to partner with Chr. Hansen to further expand our portfolio of products and technologies – and to offer new and sustainable solutions for more farming communities. 

"Consolidating our distribution networks and R&D facilities alongside Chr. Hansen’s unique microbial experience and expertise presents a powerful opportunity to change the game for farmers and for sustainable agriculture globally. We look forward to sharing more news on the biological solutions that we are developing for the future, and we are excited about the legacy we will build together."

Kim Christensen, Vice President of Plant Health at Chr. Hansen said:

"UPL is a significant distributor of biosolutions worldwide. Combining that with Chr. Hansen’s significant innovations in research and development, as well as our unique microbial capabilities and ability to breed our own bacteria, will mean better, targeted products that can go to market faster. The partnership is an important step in our 2025 strategy of growing a better world naturally. In essence, the collaboration aims to establish a product pipeline that has the best interests of farmers at heart."

The UPL-Chr. Hansen partnership has already identified several projects relevant to farmers globally and aims to develop a product pipeline for all major crops that will enable farmers to fight crop diseases and increase their yields. The companies are expecting the first registrations to start coming by the end of 2022.

* Value for Biocontrol & BioStimulants Market

 

 

PR Newswire

CGTN: From a barren land to the world’s largest man-made forest, Saihanba and China’s ecological efforts

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BEIJING, Aug. 26, 2021 — Decades ago, no one would imagine that Saihanba – the once barren land located in north China’s Hebei Province – would turn into the world’s largest man-made forest. 

 

China did it. 

Saihanba now sees a forest coverage of 80 percent, which can conserve and purify 137 million cubic meters of water every year, an achievement hailed "great" by Chinese President Xi Jinping.

"It is a model in the world’s ecological civilization history," he said during his recent two-day tour in Hebei.

During his trip, Xi learned about the management and protection of the forest farm, as well as Hebei’s coordinated efforts in conserving its mountains, rivers, forests, farmlands, lakes and grasslands, and desertification control. 

The president stressed the importance of developing the green economy and furthering ecological progress, urging to carry on "Saihanba spirit"—a term attributed to generations of workers on the farm who have kept their mission in mind, worked hard and pursued green development. 

Xi urged the workers at the Saihanba forest farm to gain a deeper understanding of ecological conservation and continue their hard work for new achievements.  

Xi encourages elderlies to stay active in job market

Facing a rapidly aging labor force in a continuously expanding economy, Xi encouraged more elderly folks to "stay active" in the job market when inspecting the Binhe community service center.

Xi suggested those "younger seniors" to participate in duties like community volunteering jobs.

According to China’s National Bureau of Statistics, there are currently 264 million people aged 60 and over, accounting for 18.7 percent of the total population. The trend – many say – could potentially pose threats to the world’s second-largest economy.

The country has put it explicitly in its 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) that it will raise the statutory retirement age "in a gradual, flexible and differentiated manner" to adapt to that "new normal."

During his visit, Xi also stressed the need to achieve this year’s major goals for the country’s economic and social development. 

He underlined the need to achieve a balance between COVID-19 prevention and control and economic and social development, and between development and security, to promote high-quality development, and to strive to fulfill major social and economic targets and tasks for this year to ensure a good start of the 14th Five-Year Plan.

A new development philosophy in an all-round, faithful manner is need to put into practice, Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, said.

Xi calls for preservation and development of cultural heritage

In the renowned Chengde Mountain Resort – a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site—Xi learned about its history as well as the preservation efforts there.

The resort serves important historic meanings to communication between different ethnic minority groups, adaption of religion and the society, preservation and development of cultural heritage, as well as the peaceful coexistence between human and nature, Xi pointed out.

He also highlighted cultural confidence and the unity between multi-ethnic groups.

The Chinese president then visited Puning Temple, a famous Buddhist temple near the resort, and the Chengde Museum.

Xi: From ‘rural revitalization’ to ‘industry revitalization’

China has always viewed rural vitalization as one of the keys to developing a modern economy, and President Xi took that a step further. He stressed the importance of "industry revitalization."

Daguikou village—where Xi visited—now grows strawberries, grapes and cherries. Yet fruit was not their first choice.

The village had tried rice, corn and vegetables. But for all sorts of reasons like the lack of water, these products were underproduced. Therefore, villagers couldn’t make money off them. So they turned to growing fruits instead.

Now, growing strawberries has become the main business for the 1,700 residents, with each household making around $15,000 a year.

Xi called on villages to implement tailored methods and find out their distinctive resource in singling out their advantages, while also calling to strengthen rural infrastructure and public service system.

https://news.cgtn.com/news/2021-08-25/Aging-in-China-Xi-encourages-seniors-to-stay-active-in-job-market-131aEaOXqU0/index.html

Related Links :

http://www.cgtn.com