"I'm a farmer through and through and I speak for farmers," said Chen Aizhu, a deputy to the National People's Congress (NPC) and edible bamboo shoot farmer from Aojiang town in East China's Zhejiang province.

In 1992, Chen leased 100 mu (6.67 hectares) of land on barren hills in Fengao village. She sought guidance from agricultural experts while researching suitable species and varieties, determined to reforest the barren hills.

Through constant experimentation, she developed a feasible planting plan that balanced environmental restoration with economic benefits, introduced special, superior and rare bamboo varieties and established an experimental farm for edible bamboo shoots.

Thanks to Chen's efforts, the bamboo shoots emerged from the soil, bringing greenery back to the barren hills.

Chen's success in bamboo cultivation drew many villagers back to the mountains. She provided free bamboo seedlings to them, and generously shared her techniques and experience. With her help, many villagers started planting bamboo. The barren hills turned green and villagers' wallets grew fatter. " Chen Aizhu has truly transformed barren hills into 'golden mountains' and led us to prosperity," said her fellow villagers.

Chen's ambition extends far beyond growing bamboo; she has a bigger vision to promote comprehensive vitalization of her hometown. Recognizing that science and technology is crucial for sustainable growth, she started literacy classes to help women in the village learn to read and write and shared cultural knowledge, agricultural techniques and planting experience with fellow villagers. She also advocated for the rights of impoverished students who had dropped out of school and helped 12 students return to campus.

Since elected as an NPC deputy in 2018, Chen has remained committed to her responsibilities, regularly visiting rural households to listen to villagers' concerns. She has presented multiple suggestions to the annual NPC sessions, focusing on issues such as the development of the planting industry, the reuse of vacant rural housing as well as the improvement of infrastructure and the living environment.

At the annual NPC session in 2024, Chen urged support for Wenzhou in building a near-sea international shipping center to reduce regional logistics costs and increase efficiency. Her suggestion was listed as a priority and was handled by a number of authorities including the Ministry of Transport.

Chen Aizhu, a deputy to the National People's Congress, poses in front of the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. [Photo provided to npc.gov.cn]

In addition to economic development, Chen also cares about public well-being, especially the rights and interests of the elderly and children. Drawing on her long-term experience in supporting disadvantaged students, she advocated for increased attention to the mental well-being of and support for minor victims, and suggested establishing an information-sharing platform to extend the reach of judicial protection.

She also called for more policy support to promote the early application of artificial intelligence in elderly care services while advancing the development of information security protection systems for digital elderly care.

Over nearly eight years of fulfilling her duties, Chen has traveled extensively to fields, enterprises, communities and villagers' homes to communicate policies and learn about the needs of residents.

"As a rural NPC deputy, the concerns of villagers are my own. I will continue to do my best to resolve their issues and work towards a better life for all," she said.

Gong Yixi contributed to this story.