DONGXIANG, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- Zhang Zhongshan, a deputy to the National People's Congress (NPC), is the head of a planting and breeding cooperative in Dongxiang Autonomous County.
Zhang, 31, grew up in one of the county's mountainous areas. Herding sheep had been a daily routine of Zhang after school. After graduating from a vocational school in 2013, Zhang left his hometown for work, where he gained experience and knowledge in e-commerce. In 2018, encouraged by government policies that supported rural entrepreneurship, Zhang returned to Dongxiang and founded the cooperative, focusing on the breeding, sales, and promotion of local agricultural products, including Dongxiang sheep.
Zhang Zhongshan feeds sheep at the breeding farm of his cooperative in Dongxiang Autonomous County of Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Gansu Province, Feb. 25, 2025. [Xinhua/Chen Bin]
Zhang Zhongshan checks the growth of a lamb at the breeding farm of his cooperative in Dongxiang Autonomous County of Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Gansu Province, Feb. 25, 2025. [Xinhua/Chen Bin]
Zhang Zhongshan (R) checks the growth of a lamb at the breeding farm of his cooperative in Dongxiang Autonomous County of Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Gansu Province, Feb. 25, 2025. [Xinhua/Chen Bin]
Zhang Zhongshan feeds sheep at the breeding farm of his cooperative in Dongxiang Autonomous County of Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Gansu Province, Feb. 25, 2025. [Xinhua/Chen Bin]
Zhang Zhongshan checks the growth of sheep at the breeding farm of his cooperative in Dongxiang Autonomous County of Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Gansu Province, Feb. 25, 2025. [Xinhua/Chen Bin]
Zhang Zhongshan (R) and a member of his cooperative check the growth of sheep at the breeding farm of the cooperative in Dongxiang Autonomous County of Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Gansu Province, Feb. 25, 2025. [Xinhua/Chen Bin]
Dongxiang is known for the sheep variety which produces high-quality mutton. In recent years, Zhang's cooperative has modernized traditional sheep farming by building standard sheepfolds, introducing modern breeding equipments, and implementing precise segmentation and packaging of the sheep's various parts to meet market demands. The cooperative has also promoted Dongxiang sheep products through livestreaming. Currently, Zhang's cooperative raises over 2,600 sheep, which helped boost the incomes of more than 500 local households.
Throughout his tenure as an NPC deputy, Zhang has familiarized himself with the details of the local agricultural sector and established active connections with the market. Through e-commerce platforms and livestreaming, he has expanded local sales channels, bridging the last mile for local agricultural specialties. Zhang believes that the rise of "new farmers" aligns perfectly with the new opportunities in agriculture and the pursuit of rural revitalization, offering a promising future for young people to invest in agriculture.
Zhang Zhongshan (R) learns about a villager's livestock breeding situation as well as his needs in Maochaizi Village of Dongxiang Autonomous County, Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Gansu Province, Feb. 25, 2025. [Xinhua/Chen Bin]
Zhang Zhongshan (R) learns about a villager's livestock breeding situation as well as his needs in Maochaizi Village of Dongxiang Autonomous County, Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Gansu Province, Feb. 25, 2025. [Xinhua/Chen Bin]
Zhang Zhongshan (R) talks to a herder at a livestock market in Dongxiang Autonomous County of Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Gansu Province, Feb. 25, 2025. [Xinhua/Chen Bin]
Zhang Zhongshan (L) and a colleague promote Dongxiang sheep products via livestreaming at his cooperative in Dongxiang Autonomous County of Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Gansu Province, Feb. 25, 2025. [Xinhua/Chen Bin]
Zhang Zhongshan (L) and a colleague promote Dongxiang sheep products via livestreaming at his cooperative in Dongxiang Autonomous County of Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Gansu Province, Feb. 25, 2025. [Xinhua/Chen Bin]
Zhang Zhongshan (L) and a colleague organize mutton samples displayed in a freezer at his cooperative in Dongxiang Autonomous County of Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Gansu Province, Feb. 25, 2025. [Xinhua/Chen Bin]
