Collective effort uplifts Tianjin villagers

Chen Yuying, a 92-year-old villager in Tianjin's Huzhangzhuang village, now lives in an apartment and receives collective dividends, a pension and holiday allowances — changes she attributes to decades of development led by village Party secretary Yang Baoling.

Chen recalled that her family once crowded into three earthen rooms and earned little more than 200 yuan a year (about $30). Today, her annual income exceeds 30,000 yuan, supported in part by the village's collective economy.

"Baoling, we never dreamed of living such a good life," Chen said. "Everything is different now."

Yang, 68, has served as Party secretary of Huzhangzhuang, in Dongli district for decades, and is also a deputy to the 14th National People's Congress. She is also widely recognized among villagers for her hands-on role in improving living standards and expanding collective income for the villagers.

When Yang first began working in the village, Huzhangzhuang was defined by saline-alkali soil, poor infrastructure and limited economic opportunities.

Many villagers lived in mud-brick houses, and agricultural income was low and unstable. "At that time, it was difficult for children to attend school, for elderly people to access medical care, and for young people to find jobs," she said.

A major turning point came in 2007, when Tianjin launched a pilot small-town development program aimed at improving rural housing and infrastructure. After thoroughly digesting policy documents, Yang concluded that the housing exchange program was a great advantage for the villagers.

She was the first to sign up and went door-to-door explaining the future benefits to others — how moving into apartments would make schooling, healthcare, and employment much easier.

Thanks to her efforts, the village achieved an extraordinary "Huzhangzhuang speed": a 95 percent signing rate and a groundbreaking transformation in its living environment. Yang said relocation alone was not enough to ensure long-term prosperity. She focused on strengthening the collective economy to provide stable income and welfare support for villagers.

Today, the village uses collective revenue to cover basic medical insurance contributions for residents and provide subsidies for elderly villagers and students admitted to universities. During this year's Spring Festival, each villager received 4,000 yuan in allowances funded by collective income.

Yang said she has also seen a shift in how villagers view collective interests. She recalled a resident whose father passed away just days before the eligibility cutoff for an annual allowance, making the family ineligible.

"He was upset, but he told me he understood the rules and didn't want to cause trouble," Yang said. "Now people think more about the collective."

Developing the village's traditional grape industry has been central to building that collective economy. Although grapes had long been grown in Huzhangzhuang, they previously generated limited returns.

Drawing on her earlier experience as a grape trader, Yang worked to expand sales channels and connect growers with buyers across the country. She also helped introduce a winery and establish the "Huzhangzhuang Rose Fragrance" brand under China's "One Village, One Product" initiative.

"They grow the grapes. I handle the sales," Yang said.

The grape industry has generated more than 11 million yuan in annual revenue. Income from collectively managed assets and related projects has been distributed through dividends and used to fund welfare programs. There have also been more local employment opportunities created.

Despite being in her late 60s, Yang remains open to innovation.

This year, two university graduates born after the year 2000 joined the village committee and are expected to help expand online sales of agricultural products through e-commerce and livestreaming.

As an NPC deputy, she has focused on recycling agricultural organic waste this year, based on her experience handling discarded grapevines after pruning.

"I am considering ways to turn them into organic fertilizer and improve resource use," she said.

Despite her national legislative role, Yang remains closely involved in daily village affairs. During a recent visit, she paused repeatedly to answer phone calls from villagers seeking assistance — a reminder that the village's progress has been built not through slogans, but through decades of steady work rooted in ordinary lives.

Ma Yucong contributed to this story.