Home to three examples of unique intangible cultural heritage recognized by UNESCO and another 18 that have received China's national recognition, Lishui saw a bloom in cultural development over the past 70 years.

The renowned Longquan celadon, the Longquan sword and the Qingtian stone carving have gained more recognition worldwide thanks to a series of promotional activities in recent years, according to Hu.

The Party head also said that there were 257 national traditional villages around the city, earning Lishui the name of "the last fairyland in Jiangnan (a region south of the Yangtze River)".

Over the last 40 years, the number of market players in Lishui reached over 228,700 in 2018, a 1,377-fold increase from the year of 1978.

Hu explained that the city is leveraging the power of innovation to further reform and opening-up and better serve the national strategies of the Belt and Road Initiative and the integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta region.