Zhejiang boasts 'shared community'

Zhuji, Zhejiang province, has been forging a new "shared community" model as the nation's sharing economy gains momentum.

Fruits and vegetables kept at storage places are available for residents in the Dingyuan community, the first in the province to launch a "sharing basket" program.

"More and more residents are joining us in this food-sharing activity, and we are shaping a self-sufficient mode of life," Xu Guoai, Dingyuan's Party secretary, told China Daily.

Besides its sharing basket, Dingyuan has launched similar projects for books, umbrellas and children's play areas.

"Our community has become a shared space both materially and spiritually through three years of improvement," said Wei Jianfu, deputy director of the community's owners committee, which initiated a series of activities to enhance the living environment in Dingyuan in 2017.

Wei and other owners committee members offered training classes and set up publicity boards to strengthen residents' awareness of garbage sorting, leading Dingyuan to excel among communities of its kind in the province.

Youyi community, another residential area in Zhuji, has formed a group of "automobile keepers", which include some older, retired residents. They serve the community during rush hour, resolving disputes that arise from traffic violations and urging residents to avoid irregular parking.

"Since I have retired, I would prefer to do something meaningful to help others rather than watching TV at home, and in this way I can also make more friends," said a 63-year-old resident surnamed Lin, one of the keepers.

"We are devoted to building a harmonious community where our residents help each other in their daily lives," said Sun Guiying, Youyi's Party secretary, adding that they will explore ways to upgrade the sharing efforts.

Over the past five years, Dingyuan has launched sharing services for vegetables and daily commodities and has helped finance public facilities such as children's playgrounds to improve the quality of life for residents in its 322 households.

Zhejiang launched a campaign last year aiming to foster the formation of 100 "future communities"－green, smart and sharing urban residential communities－by the end of 2021 in a bid to enhance residents' sense of belonging and encourage more of them to help each other lead better lives.