An aerial photo of a vibrant green village in Nanping. [Photo/WeChat account: zmb_707]

Ecology is the most prominent advantage of Nanping, Fujian province.

Over the past 10 years, Nanping has been bolstering its efforts to promote integrated and systematic environmental protection, according to Lin Ruiliang, Party chief of the city and also a delegate to the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China.

As a result, Nanping's forest coverage rate has increased from 71.14 percent to 78.89 percent. Its air quality in 2021 was held an excellent rating for 365 days, and the proportion of excellent water quality in major river basins was 100 percent, Lin said.

Nanping has been beefing up efforts to cultivate characteristic green industries covering tea, bamboo, and water. Over the past decade, Nanping's output value of the tea industry more than doubled, the output value of the bamboo industry quadrupled, and the city has introduced major water companies like Nongfu Spring and China Resources' C'estbon Beverage.

In addition, Nanping has been stepping up efforts to develop cultural tourism. Since having promoted free tickets for major scenic spots in June, Nanping received 1.44 million tourists in four months, an increase of 133 percent year-on-year.

The better ecological environment has also boosted people's livelihoods in Nanping. Over the past decade, the city's total economic output doubled, and its urban and rural residents' income increased 8.5 percent and 10 percent, respectively.

Nanping plans to continue to emphasize environmental protection and make full use of the World Heritage site Mount Wuyi and Wuyishan National Park, and further develop a route of harmonious modernization with nature in Nanping, Lin noted.