Former teacher Liang Jianfei has been living in Haojiaqiao since he retired. The 74-year-old said he was impressed by the huge changes that have taken place in the village. "Carrying on the hardworking spirit of Liu Yuhou, villagers persisted in fighting natural defects, especially during the poverty alleviation project," he said. "The infrastructure, industry development, and living conditions have changed significantly. I hope I can live dozens of years longer to see more improvements."

Liu Zhenxi, the village Party chief, said 10 projects will be launched this year to build infrastructure and facilities, including a tourist reception center, a homestay business area and a natural gas pipeline network. An estimated 195 million yuan will be invested in these projects.

Last year, the per capita annual income of the 1,638 villagers reached 12,466 yuan and is expected to hit 30,000 yuan by 2025, the local rural vitalization bureau said.