Across multiple provinces in China, grassroots Communist Party workers are leveraging digital tools such as mobile phones, the internet, and livestreaming platforms to stimulate rural revitalization and promote local economies. Their efforts are transforming agriculture, culture, and tourism in areas ranging from Hejiaxin village in Liaoning province to Beishan village in Jiangxi province, and Tahe county in Heilongjiang province.
One illustrative example is Hu Yuming, 44, who began serving as the first Party secretary of Hejiaxin village in Tieling, Liaoning, in September 2021. After his initial two-year term ended in 2023, he chose to remain in the rural community to continue fostering its development. With the support of local government training programs launched in March 2024, which provided more than 100 village leaders instruction on new media technology and livestreaming, Hu incorporated online platforms into his outreach efforts. His livestreams showcase the village’s natural grasslands, wetlands, revolutionary history, and folk culture, attracting viewers nationwide. By promoting local products such as sweet potatoes, corn, and garlic sprouts, Hu has facilitated sales surpassing 50,000 yuan (approximately $7,370).
Similarly, Chen Jianguo, 46, Party secretary of Beishan village in Shangrao, Jiangxi province, revitalized his hometown by embracing livestreaming and rural e-commerce. Having left Beishan for Zhejiang province in 2004, Chen returned following the opening of a high-speed rail line in 2015, which improved transportation links and encouraged younger generations to return. After attending government-organized e-commerce training, he leveraged these skills to promote local agricultural goods, enhancing the village’s economic vitality.
In Heilongjiang province’s Tahe county, digital media has also played a significant role in cultural and tourism promotion. Du Bo, who served as director of the local Culture and Tourism Bureau, tapped into new media’s reach by producing a short video on epidemic prevention in the local dialect, which garnered 750,000 views. This inspired her to establish a dedicated new media team that creates short videos and livestreams highlighting regional assets such as icy landscapes, forest ecology, and ethnic minority culture. In early 2023, Du filmed a widely viewed video titled "White Deer Fairy," featuring traditional Oroqen ethnic costumes set against a birch forest backdrop during freezing temperatures. The production coincided with the 70th anniversary of the Oroqen people’s settlement in the area, highlighting their cultural heritage.
Du’s work extends beyond media production to planning and developing scenic routes and cultural projects aimed at attracting tourists. These initiatives reflect a broader national effort to integrate digital technology with rural governance and economic development.
Collectively, these cases demonstrate how digital tools are becoming integral to China’s rural revitalization strategies by facilitating local promotion, broadening market access for agricultural products, and preserving cultural heritage through new media. Local officials and Party workers are increasingly adopting online platforms as a means to connect rural communities to wider economic and cultural networks, supported by government training and policy initiatives designed to harness the potential of digital technologies for grassroots development.