Two decades ago, the concept that "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets" was first proposed in Yucun, a village in Zhejiang province, east China. It set in motion a development approach that places ecological preservation at the heart of economic planning. Since then, the province has been pursuing a path where environmental protection and growth advance in parallel.

While Zhejiang accounts for just 1.1 percent of China's land area, it contributes 6.7 percent of national GDP and has become a model for achieving high-quality growth without compromising ecological integrity. A recent field visit by Science and Technology Daily found green development deeply embedded in rural governance, industrial upgrading, and social innovation.

In Meilin, one of the villages part of the "Thousand Villages Demonstration and Ten Thousand Villages Renovation" project launched in 2003, environmental clean-up and infrastructure upgrades have transformed once-polluted farmlands into a thriving hub of tourism, homestays and agritainment.

Last year, the village welcomed more than 50,000 visitors. Rooftop solar panels and smart energy systems reflect a new low-carbon rural lifestyle.

Zhejiang has also harnessed green finance to drive industrial transformation. Huzhou, a national pilot zone for green finance reform, has issued 28 local green finance standards and developed more than 150 innovative products. From 2017 to 2024, the share of green credit in total lending in the city rose from 11 percent to over 30 percent — nearly 20 percentage points above the national average. Non-performing loans stood at just 0.07 percent.

Industrial parks such as the Linping Economic and Technological Development Zone are branding themselves as "green ports," attracting clean-tech companies and building zero-carbon demonstration projects. Enterprises like Hangzhou GEnergy Technology are repositioning themselves in wind power and energy-efficient sectors, expanding opportunities in the green economy.

Zhejiang is also investing heavily in human capital and has introduced targeted housing, employment and entrepreneurship incentives to attract young professionals. More than 100,000 graduates have returned or relocated to Anji, the county where Yucun is located and some of these young people came up with the idea of transforming abandoned mines into scenic tourist attractions, illustrating how creativity and sustainability can reinforce each other.

From rural revitalization to industrial upgrading, Zhejiang shows that sustained commitment to ecological priorities can generate both economic vitality and environmental resilience — a model with implications far beyond national borders.