Hechi, which used to be an impoverished area in the northwest of Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, has established a deep friendship with Luxembourg due to their common efforts to alleviate poverty.

Nico Hansen, a retired Luxembourg police officer, embarked on a sightseeing trip to Hechi in 2015. He was amazed by Hechi's unique karst landscape, but also shocked by the poverty in some of its rural areas.

Hansen decided to stay in a village to help with poverty alleviation work and regarded it as his new life's goal. He met Xie Wanju, the first Party secretary of Zhadong village in Hechi, and said that he would like to help the village without any payment.

Road works, water and housing were three key issues in the village. Among them, roads were of utmost importance. Hansen and Xie spent four hours each day walking in the village, learning details of the village's geographical conditions.

In 2018, the villagers, supported by authorities and businesses, started to work on constructing or repairing the roads. Once the vital transportation links were completed two years later, the villagers began to sell their produce to the outside world.

Zhadong village took off the label of the poor village in November 2020. As a witness to this poverty alleviation campaign, Hansen said that the development of Zhadong over the last few years condensed what should have been decades of development.

Nico Hansen (left) and Xie Wanju help villagers of Zhadong feed silkworms. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

In May, Hansen returned to his hometown to visit his family and invited Xie to accompany him. After returning to Luxembourg, they received an invitation from the Chinese Embassy in Luxembourg.

At the embassy, Xie and Hansen told the story of how they helped villagers uplift themselves and achieve poverty alleviation.

Hua Ning, the Chinese Ambassador to Luxembourg, congratulated their contributions. Hua said that he hopes Hansen will continue to assist in rural vitalization efforts and promote friendship between the Chinese and Luxembourgian people.

In Hansen's hometown, Canton of Echternach, the news of Hansen's return from Hechi caused a sensation. Hansen and Xie visited the local vineyards and dairy farms, shared poverty alleviation stories, and learned advanced agricultural development concepts.

Xie Wanju (right) presents a Hechi Yizhou silk scarf to Hansen's sister (second from the right) in Luxembourg. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

After returning to China, Hansen and Xie were invited by the Luxembourg Embassy in China to participate in the Luxembourg National Day reception.

Marc Hubsch, Luxembourg's ambassador to China, has been in China for six years and has heard stories of Hansen's poverty alleviation efforts. From July 7 to 9, a group led by Hubsch visited Hechi.

"We didn't have any industry before and our income was very low. Hansen helped us renovate the farm and taught us to feed pigs and cows for three years," said Qin Muxiao, a villager of Zhadong. He then explained that the scale of the farm has been expanding, with the number of pigs increasing from 200 to over 1,000 now.

Hubsch praised Hechi's high-quality agricultural products, and said that Hechi and Luxembourg have many potential areas for cooperation.

In Duonu community, Lihu Yao township, Nandan county, Hubsch showed his interest in the handmade clothing of Baiku Yao, a branch of Yao ethnic group. He said that Europeans like handmade products, and that there is great potential for Baiku Yao clothing in the European market.

The three-day trip to Hechi left a deep impression on Hubsch. He was impressed by the tremendous contributions Hechi has provided to help alleviate poverty.

Now, Hansen has joined the rural vitalization campaign, and together with Xie, they have come to Lianhua village in Chengguan town, Nandan county, to help guide villagers there.

Hubsch encouraged Hansen to continue contributing to China's rural vitalization. The official said that he wants to facilitate more Luxembourg farmers to visit and learn from Hechi, deepen friendships and achieve win-win cooperation.

Marc Hubsch learns about Baiku Yao culture in Nandan county of Hechi. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]