The China Democratic League (CDL) Central Committee held its first forum on rural vitalization and development in Changzhou, East China’s Jiangsu province, from March 22 to 23.

Themed on promoting industrial vitalization with culture, participants exchanged views and shared their insight on such issues as tapping advantageous and characteristic resources to promote the vitalization of rural industries, and the significance of implementation paths of cultural prosperity in boosting rural vitalization.

In the opening address, Wang Guangqian, vice-chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and executive vice-chairman of the CDL Central Committee, said that the forum is a significant event in China’s drive to promote rural vitalization in an all-around way and accelerate the construction of a nation with a powerful agricultural industry.

He said that all CDL members must resolutely implement the guiding principles of the 20th CPC National Congress on comprehensively promoting the strategy of rural vitalization and building a nation with powerful agriculture, conduct in-depth discussions around current difficult issues and topics of general interest, and make proposals to the CPC Central Committee of well targeted policy suggestions, solutions and insights that can stand the test of time.

Hu Gang, vice-chairman of the CPPCC Jiangsu Provincial Committee and chairman of the CDL Jiangsu Provincial Committee, and Sheng Lei, mayor of Changzhou, attended the meeting and delivered speeches.

The participants also visited the Hua Luogeng Memorial Hall, a CDL base for traditional education, and surveyed the new rural industries and new business models in the villages of Changzhou.

The forum received 153 papers on rural vitalization and development, 46 of which were commended as excellent through evaluation.

Around 300 people attended the forum, including representatives from the CDL Central Committee's Agricultural Committee and Social Service Committee, experts from both inside and outside the league, and all participants of the CDL training course for rural vitalization.