A harvester seen in a stretch of rice fields in Huzhou, East China's Zhejiang province. [Photo/hz66.com]

Huzhou in East China's Zhejiang province has experienced remarkable progress in rural vitalization over the past 20 years.

The per capita disposable income of rural residents in the city has surged eight-fold from 5,052 yuan ($705.91) to 44,112 yuan, while the urban-rural income gap has also narrowed significantly, going from 2.25 to 1.61, making Huzhou as one of the most equitable regions in terms of urban-rural divide nationwide.

In recognition of its dedication to sustainable development, Huzhou has been designated as a national ecological civilization demonstration area and the world's only International Cooperation Demonstration Zone of Ecological Civilization.

Huzhou has been acknowledged for its agricultural excellence, securing the top spot in Zhejiang province for six consecutive years in terms of overall agricultural modernization.

The city's commitment to technological advancement and digitization is evident, as it has consistently ranked as the best in the province in terms of the average level of digital agriculture and rural development at the county level for four straight years. Huzhou is the only prefecture-level city in China to achieve advanced ratings in agricultural and rural informatization development in every county.

Beyond these achievements, Huzhou takes pride in its thriving rural tourism sector. For seven consecutive years, the region has secured the highest total operating income from rural tourism in Zhejiang.