China's connectivity drive opens new opportunities in Guizhou's rural communities

In the first of a two-part series on China's rural revitalisation, CNA visits the southwestern province of Guizhou, where improved transport and digital connectivity are creating new opportunities for residents.
 

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ANSHUN, China: Towering 625m above the Beipan River, the Huajiang Gorge Bridge reflects Guizhou's decades-long investment in transport infrastructure to overcome its mountainous terrain.

Stretching nearly 2.9km across a canyon in the southwestern Chinese province, the bridge – the world’s highest – has reduced travel times for residents on both sides.

Once difficult to access, these communities are now better connected to jobs, tourism and new economic opportunities.

Since launching its rural revitalisation strategy in 2017, Beijing has prioritised infrastructure development to help narrow the gap between urban and rural communities.

In Guizhou, once one of China's poorest provinces, improved transport links have been complemented by expanded digital connectivity.

China Mobile, working with Huawei, has extended 4G and 5G coverage to parts of the province that were previously difficult to serve.

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But rolling out mobile networks across Guizhou's rugged landscape has not been straightforward.

"Transporting equipment, installing, commissioning and activating the base station all involved significant safety risks. To overcome this, we used drones instead," said China Mobile Guizhou engineer Pan Cong.

The improved connectivity is beginning to change livelihoods in nearby communities.

A REASON TO RETURN

After years working elsewhere in Guizhou and neighbouring Yunnan province, 36-year-old Lin Guoquan decided to return to his hometown and open a homestay near the bridge.

In less than a year, his business has grown from nine guest rooms to more than 50.

The improved internet connection, he said, has been just as important as the new bridge.

"In the past, we couldn't even make a phone call from here. We never imagined we'd one day have this level of communication," he said.

"The improved network has allowed us to attract visitors from all over the world and share our village with them online. Now that the bridge is open, it's only an eight-minute drive from the bridge to my homestay."

CULTURE GOES ONLINE

Nearby, Tianlong Tunpu village is also finding new ways to commercialise its cultural heritage.

Known for its centuries-old stone buildings and traditional Dixi opera, the village now livestreams performances, showcases traditional crafts and sells local agricultural products online.

Visitor numbers nearly tripled in the first four months of this year compared with the same period last year.

"Incomes have improved significantly," said Hu Qiong, deputy director of the Tianlong Village Committee.

"In the past, most residents relied mainly on farming. Now, thanks to widespread internet access and the growing number of tourists, villagers have many more ways to earn an income."

She said higher incomes and new job opportunities have also encouraged more young people to stay instead of leaving to find work elsewhere.

MORE THAN CONNECTIVITY

Observers say Guizhou's development is not simply the result of better connectivity.

Aleksei Savrasov, an industrial development officer at the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, said Guizhou's transformation was driven by a combination of government commitment and private-sector investment in technology.

"This is something that we can replicate in other national business systems," he added.

Connectivity has also helped reshape Guizhou's economy beyond tourism.

The province hosts clusters of data centres and became China's first national pilot zone for big data development in 2015. Its moderate climate, reliable power supply and communications infrastructure have helped attract major technology companies and data centre investment.

Dan Wang, China director at Eurasia Group, said the government sees the sector as "a starting point to attract more of the service industry that's targeting the manufacturing sector".

She added that Beijing is likely to continue investing in western China, although Guizhou's experience may not be easy for other regions to replicate.

For communities across Guizhou, better roads and faster internet are already creating new opportunities.

But as China's economy slows, analysts say the next challenge will be turning years of infrastructure investment into sustained economic growth.

"The model will only be sustainable if China can improve domestic demand," Wang said.

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