Taizhou in East China's Zhejiang province has made significant progress in rural revitalization in recent years as it adheres to the philosophy that "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets".

First proposed in Huzhou's Anji county in 2005, the concept has since become popular throughout both rural and urban areas in China.

Taizhou has recently stepped up efforts to better plan its rural areas. By the end of last year, the number of administrative villages in the city had been reduced from 4,645 to 3,043.

Efforts have also been made to channel more social capital to rural areas. To date, agreements for a total of 50 investment projects in rural areas worth 50.88 billion yuan ($7.37 billion) have been reached in the city.

In addition, the city has initiated a series of campaigns to beautify its rural environment and improve transportation. 

Official data show that Taizhou is now home to 388 provincial A-level scenic villages, including 32 3A-level ones. 

In addition, 7.9-billion-yuan fund was allocated by the local government to build 1,800 kilometers of road in rural areas during the 13th Five-Year Plan period (2016-2020).

The city has also been pursuing rural revitalization by developing sectors such as tourism and e-commerce. 

It is now home to 84 villages renowned for their homestays, which offer a total of 20,300 beds, making it possible for more than 20,000 farmers to work in their homes 

The city also boasts 143 Taobao villages, ranking third among prefecture-level cities in China.

In addition, the city has established partnerships with more than 30 prestigious universities in an effort to provide more intellectual support for local rural development.