Liu Bing, Party secretary of the Laolong community in Pingtian township of Nanxiong city, South China's Guangdong province, has helped over 1,000 households in her community increase their incomes by raising black chickens.

As a deputy to the 14th National People's Congress (NPC), Liu values every opportunity at the annual NPC session to speak for her community in order to enable the policymakers to hear the voices and concerns of those at the grassroots level.

Seventeen years ago, Liu and her husband made the bold decision to quit their jobs in Zhongshan city of Guangdong shortly after getting married and returned to their hometown in a village in northern Guangdong, where they started the business in raising pigs.

Overcoming difficulties, Liu and her husband propelled the pig farm on the right track, achieving an annual output of over 1,300 pigs.

In 2015, she was elected as a member of the village committee. "To prosper in our mountainous village, we need the support of specialty industries," Liu often said to her villagers. She set her sights on black chickens, a local specialty.

Liu Bing, Party secretary of the Laolong community in Pingtian township of Nanxiong city, South China's Guangdong province, and a deputy to the 14th National People's Congress, picks up eggs at her chicken farm. [Photo provided to npc.gov.cn]

She provided chicken seedlings free of charge to her villagers and shared all her experience in chicken raising. The business model incorporating companies, cooperatives, breeding bases and farmers she established has drawn participation of more villagers and increased their incomes significantly.

As the chicken farming grew steadily, marketing surfaced as a pressing issue. Leveraging the internet, Liu turned to e-commerce platforms. Through livestreaming sales, she helped villagers expand the market for black chickens, ultimately creating a distinctive brand for farm produces in Nanxiong.

In 2017, Liu was elected as the Party secretary of the Laolong community. Known for her efficiency, decisiveness and proactive approach, Liu always acts promptly in her work. 

Liu Bing, a deputy to the 14th National People's Congress, visits an elderly woman in her community. [Photo provided to npc.gov.cn]

 "The immediate concerns of the people must be addressed without delay," she said.

Over the years, Liu has sponsored over 40 students to complete their education and regularly visited the elderly in nursing homes. Her sincerity has earned widespread praise and recognition from the community.

In 2023, Liu was elected as an NPC deputy. Reflecting on her journey from a small rural village to the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Liu expressed her gratitude for the opportunity.

"Our country has such a good fundamental political system. As a grassroots deputy from the countryside, I'm committed to speaking for people at the grassroots level to ensure that the top-level decision-makers hear the voices from rural communities," she said.

Focusing on improving water conservancy infrastructure for national food security and the development of high-standard farmland, Liu has put forward numerous suggestions on rural vitalization.

Liu Bing, a deputy to the 14th National People's Congress, chats with her fellow villagers about black chicken feeding. [Photo provided to npc.gov.cn]

Recognizing the significance of efficient transportation networks in facilitating the growth of rural areas, she has called for improving railway facilities, receiving timely responses from relevant government departments.

"For rural vitalization, industry support and road infrastructure are essential," Liu said.

As this year marks the end of the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) for national economic and social development, and the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) is in the pipeline, she said it is important to plan major engineering projects in northern Guangdong.

She expressed the hope that the Ganzhou-Shaoguan railway capacity expansion project could be included in the national medium and long-term railway network plan during the 15th Five-Year Plan period.

"Since becoming an NPC deputy, I've often felt stretched for time. I even wish there were 48 hours in a day so I could do more to better serve my communities," she said.

Feng Tian and Liu Hongwei contributed to this story.