China village lures young workers with perks in transformation push

Village in Shandong province defies odds to become model for rural development

20230920N Houbaligou village

A tall Mao Zedong statue stands in Houbaligou village's central square against the backdrop of high-rise buildings. (Photo by Yukio Tajima) 

YUKIO TAJIMA, Nikkei staff writer

BEIJING -- A village in China's Shandong province has risen to fame as a model for rural development, attracting young people with generous benefits and businesses whose profits are distributed among residents.

Houbaligou is one of the villages that make up the city of Zoucheng, about 600 kilometers south of Beijing. The village, with a population of 30,000, has managed to convince 600 young people to migrate over the past 10 years.

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