How can deputies to the National People's Congress (NPC) perform their duties in accordance with law and play their roles effectively? Geng Funeng, an NPC deputy and chairman of Gooddoctor Pharmaceutical Group, believes that NPC deputies should make full use of their close connections with the people to identify problems of real concern to the people and put forward solutions.

Poverty alleviation with Chinese herbal medicines

China achieved a complete victory in the battle against poverty in 2021. Geng can still recall the days when he fought on the front line of poverty alleviation in the past decade.

As one of the "three regions and three prefectures" in extreme poverty, the Daliangshan in Sichuan province is of great importance to the overall result of the national poverty alleviation effort. Geng said he would always stay true to his original aspiration of "being a good person and making good medicine".

"We know very well that the people are the soil for the development of enterprises. Only through common prosperity of the people, can an enterprise realize better development," Geng said.

Geng has conducted over 10 researches and inspections in the hinterland of Daliangshan every year since he was elected as an NPC deputy, in addtion to writing three to four suggestions on consolidating the achievements of poverty alleviation and bringing public opinions to the NPC's annual sessions.

Huodeng village in the Liangshan Yi autonomous prefecture is located in an alpine mountainous area with an altitude of more than 2,700 meters. It used to a poverty-stricken place.

In 2014, the company led by Geng provided free Chinese herbal aconite seeds for the village, donated production and living materials, and promoted related technical training and guidance. The village has achieved an annual income of more than 1 million yuan from planting aconite ever since. In 2020, the whole village was lifted out of poverty.

So far, Chinese herbal medicines such as teasel, aconite, and honeysuckle have been planted in 57 townships in nine counties in Liangshan, with an area of more than 2,000 hectares. Over  70,000 people from 15,000 households got out of poverty and started new journey to moderate prosperity.

On Feb 25, 2021, Geng was honored as a role model in the anti-poverty fight at a grand gathering to mark the nation's poverty alleviation accomplishments. 

"Liangshan has ended its history of poverty, but getting rid of poverty is not the end, but the starting point of a new life, and I will embark on a new journey too," Geng said.

Call on enterprises to participate in rural revitalization

As a veteran NPC deputy from the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) industry, Geng believes that the sustainable development of the industrial chain of TCM materials, which has helped Liangshan successfully get rid of poverty, can give play to its unique advantages in rural revitalization, bringing more vitality to the TCM industry and benefiting more people.

In September 2021, Geng went to Huodeng village for another inspection, and he was welcomed by the smiling faces of a family happy with their harvest.

"The village Party secretary told me that the aconite planting was going well and the whole family earned 28,784 yuan after delivering the aconite harvest. More importantly, planting aconite has helped their child get out of Liangshan and become the first in the village to go to college."

In recent years, Geng has been paying attention to poverty alleviation and rural revitalization. After field inspections and in-depth researches, he submitted several suggestions at the annual sessions of the NPC, covering topics such as cultivating authentic Chinese medicinal materials in poverty-stricken areas, expanding the collective economy, stepping up poverty alleviation through education, promoting application of science and technology in agriculture and modern farming, and exploring new models for enterprises to participate in rural revitalization.

Last year, Geng teamed up with 10 private entrepreneurs to launch an initiative, encouraging  private enterprises in the country to take part in revitalizing villages.

Better fulfil duty of NPC deputy 

Geng has conducted 66 inspections, delivered 83 speeches and submitted 106 suggestions during his nine-year deputy role.

During the 4th session of the 13th National People's Congress last year, Geng submitted a total of 13 suggestions, covering innovation of TCM, consolidation of poverty alleviation achievements, rural revitalization, brand and intellectual property protection, TCM culture and primary care.

In July 2021, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs specifically responded to Geng's suggestions on cultivating Chinese medicinal materials in areas of extreme poverty and establishing a complete industrial chain to help rural revitalization and made a detailed plan about it.

Geng said that he would continue to practice the whole-process people's democracy, better perform his duty as an NPC deputy, and promote planting of the Chinese herbal medicine in Liangshan.

On March 26, Geng Funeng, a deputy to the National People's Congress, resumed work and production in Liangshan Yi autonomous prefecture. Geng was checking the seedlings of teasel, a traditional Chinese herb. [Photo/npc.gov.cn]