The 2024 Lucun Forum Opens in China's Huzhou

The 2024 Lucun Forum, hosted by the World Rural Tourism Council (WRTC) and organized by CCTV.com of China Media Group (CMG), China Zheshang Bank Co., Ltd., and other agencies, was held in Huzhou, China, on November 9. Ma Peihua, Vice Chairman of the 12th National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, China’s top political advisory body, attended the opening ceremony and announced the commencement of the event. Bhokin Bhalakula, former Deputy Prime Minister of Thailand, former President of the National Assembly of Thailand, and President of the Thai-Chinese Culture and Economy Association, sent a congratulatory message.

Zhao Cheng, a member of the Standing Committee of the Communist Party of China Zhejiang Provincial Committee and head of the its publicity department, and Hu Jinjun, Vice President of CMG, along with other leaders, delivered speeches. Shahbaz Khan, Director of the UNESCO Multisectoral Regional Office for East Asia; Peter Semone, Chairman of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA); and Maribel Rodriguez, Senior Vice President of the World Travel & Tourism Council, delivered speeches via video.

At the opening ceremony, the Research Report: Finance Promotes Rural Revitalization Characteristic Branding (Green Book) and the Research Report: Rural Tourism Promotes Rural Revitalization Characteristic Branding (Green Book) were officially released. Additionally, the Financial Services Committee of the General Association of Zhejiang Entrepreneurs (GAZE) released the Huzhou Consensus: Finance Promotes Rural Revitalization.

At the event, representatives of countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative signed cooperation agreements with domestic project partners on initiatives such as rural wellness tourism projects and children’s leisure wear international brand cultivation project. The WRTC also signed cooperation agreements with the PATA and CCTV.com. Additionally, Lu Jianqiang, Chairman of China Zheshang Bank Co., Ltd. and Director of the Financial Services Committee of the GAZE, awarded a plaque to the “Finance Promotes Rural Revitalization Financial Consulting Studio” in Balidian Town.

During a thematic forum on financial support for rural revitalization, Lu Jianqiang; Zheng Yumin, an advisor to the GAZE; Guo Tong, Chairman of CCTV.com and General Manager of Yangshipin, CMG’s first 5G new media platform; and Zhang Huanzhou, President of Zhejiang International Studies University, shared insights on key pathways for integrating finance with sustainable rural development.

The forum also featured three panel discussions: the Lucun Practice Seminar, the Lucun Report Release Conference, and the Lucun Consensus Roundtable.