they carry with them a reminder that economic growth and social equity do not have to be competing goals. Instead, they can reinforce one another.
Back in Qingyuan, that story continues to unfold in Wu's workshop. As mushroom orders leave the village for destinations across China,
During visits to the province, he remarked that what can be seen there is "the future of China, and perhaps even the future of the world."
Former UN Environment Executive Director Erik Solheim, who has closely followed China's rural development, has repeatedly praised Zhejiang's transformation.
This year, leaders from Germany, Pakistan, Serbia and Laos have all included Zhejiang in their visits to China, with Lao President Thongloun Sisoulith choosing to travel to Zhejiang's villages to learn more about its approach to ecological conservation and rural revitalization.
Beyond international accolades, Zhejiang has increasingly become a destination for foreign leaders seeking insights into China's development path.
Its achievements gained global recognition in 2018 when it received the UN's prestigious Champions of the Earth Award.
Long before the United Nations adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Green Rural Revival Program was already exploring ways to improve living standards while protecting the environment.
A Zhejiang story with global relevance
Zhejiang's experience has also attracted growing international attention.
ranking first among China's provincial-level regions for 41 consecutive years, while the urban-rural income gap continued to narrow, from 2.43:1 in 2003 to 1.81:1 in 2025.
The broader results of the "Green Rural Revival Program" are visible across Zhejiang. In 2025, rural residents' per capita disposable income exceeded 45,000 yuan,
Meanwhile, the county, by 2024, has established 54 "common prosperity workshops," creating more than 2,000 local jobs and raising monthly incomes by an average of 1,800 yuan for participating residents.
while also linking the edible fungi sector with rural tourism to extend its industrial value chain. In 2024, Qingyuan's edible fungi industry generated nearly 5.8 billion yuan ($800 million) in output value.
Qingyuan's experience illustrates how this shift has taken shape on the ground. The county has developed a forest-based mushroom cultivation industry that integrates environmental protection with agricultural production,
Such a workshop is part of Zhejiang's growing network of "common prosperity workshops" – a development model designed to bring jobs, 111
skills and industrial opportunities directly into rural communities. Built through partnerships among village collectives, communities and enterprises,22