Island welcomes tourists after green upgrade

The island, which is no more than 30 square kilometers and with only a few thousand residents, received more than 180,000 tourists last year.

The profound changes have also attracted youths to return to their hometown on the island and set up their own businesses. Wang Qi is one of them. In 2019, she left a well-paid job in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, to become a goatherd on the island.

Wang's goat-raising business has grown hugely in recent years. Since starting with just nine goats, she now has 800.

Wang and her family also set up a goat farming cooperative to help villagers increase their income by raising and selling goats on commission. Up to 18 households have signed up for the cooperative and the average annual dividend income per person at the cooperatives hits 9,000 yuan ($1,331).

"When I was a child, I always wanted to escape from this place. I never expected to return to pursue my dream," says Wang.

"Ecological conservation, tourism and marine resources development, and talent inflow will make the island more prosperous and beautiful," says Chen Hao, head of Yushan township.