A village in Quzhou, Zhejiang province. [Photo/WeChat account: quzhoufb]

The Chinese government work report released on March 5 placed a significant emphasis on promoting green, low-carbon development.

Xu Zhangyan, deputy to the 14th National People's Congress (the country's top legislature) and mayor of Quzhou, remarked that as the headwater region of the Qiantang River, known as the "mother river" of Zhejiang province, ecology is Quzhou's primary resource and greatest advantage.

Xu believes that to promote green development and enhance internal driving forces, it is crucial to transform the ecological advantages inherent in green waters and lush mountains into distinctive industrial strengths. Developing a "beautiful economy" is an effective path forward.

In recent years, Quzhou has focused on creating a national-level comprehensive tourism demonstration zone, crafting a picturesque landscape belt stretching 280 kilometers across 1,000 square kilometers.

Last year, both the number of local tourists and overnight visitors grew by over 30 percent, ranking among the top in the province in terms of growth rate.

Xu added that the need for accelerated development, heightened attention to ecological protection and leveraging ecological advantages has become even more pronounced.