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Chapter 392 University Town Concept
Lu Xinghua paused for a moment, then continued, "After graduating, Zhou Qiming first worked in a state-owned enterprise, and later went into business. He endured a lot of hardship and gradually built Xunfeng Motors up."
When his parents were alive, he took them to live in the city and also paid for the renovation of their old house.
However, the village created some obstacles regarding the homestead and procedures, and coupled with the fact that the parents were old and reluctant to leave their hometown, the matter was eventually dropped.
After his parents passed away one after another, Zhou Qiming never returned to Zhoujia Village.
When it comes to ancestor worship during festivals, we always entrust our siblings or pay someone to do it on our behalf.
The village party secretary and director from back then have both passed away.
The people of Zhoujia Village all believed that Zhou Qiming was a vengeful person.
In previous years, the county and town governments had also considered inviting Zhou Qiming back to his hometown to investigate and invest in setting up factories, but all their efforts were in vain.
It is said that once at a provincial investment promotion conference, the county leaders specifically went to visit Zhou Qiming, but Zhou Qiming was very cold and only said, "The waters of my hometown are too deep; I can't afford to drink them," and that was the end of it.
Wu Zhiyuan fell into deep thought.
Zhou Qiming's inner conflict was deeper than he had imagined.
This is not only a matter of poverty and obstacles in getting things done in the early years, but also involves old grievances involving the trampling of dignity and the bullying of family members.
These kinds of wounds cannot be easily erased by empty words like "your hometown needs you" or some preferential investment conditions.
Wu Zhiyuan nodded, but did not immediately express his opinion.
Lu Xinghua tentatively asked, "County Chief Wu, are you looking to invite Zhou Qiming back to invest?"
"I have this idea. Although Xunfeng Motors is a rising star in the domestic automobile industry, it is developing rapidly."
Xunfeng Motors has a production base in Jiangzhou. If a parts production base or supporting industrial park could be set up in Qingyan, its impact on the county's industrial upgrading and employment would be immeasurable.
But now it seems that the first thing to do is to untangle his inner knot.
Lu Xinghua shook his head and smiled bitterly: "This knot in my heart is not easy to untie. It's been decades."
"Even if it's difficult to solve, we have to try. Zhou Qiming is an outstanding figure who came from Qingyan. His enterprise and influence may have immeasurable value for the future development of Qingyan."
More importantly, resolving this emotional knot and making those who have left their hometowns genuinely willing to return is meaningful in itself.
Lu Xinghua tentatively asked, "County Chief Wu, what do you mean?"
"Let's not rush to talk about investment or projects."
That would be too purposeful and would only make him more disgusted.
We must first express our sincerity and resolve old grievances.
You go to Shahe Town yourself, without disturbing too many people.
Go directly to Zhoujia Village to see the current situation of Zhou Qiming's old house, visit the elderly in the village, especially those who may have helped the Zhou family in the past, and get a more thorough understanding of the situation.
Then, in my own name, and also on behalf of the county party committee and the county government, I will write a letter to Zhou Qiming.
Lü Xinghua was taken aback: "Write a letter?"
"Yes, write a letter. As a friend, or as a local official."
First, on behalf of his hometown, he must express his apologies for the injustices and hardships his family suffered back then.
This is not about holding any specific person responsible, but rather a gesture that acknowledges the shortcomings and mistakes in past grassroots governance, allowing those who have left their hometowns to feel the reflection and changes in their hometowns.
Secondly, we need to tell him about the changes in his hometown, especially the business environment, legal environment, and work atmosphere that we are working hard to create.
There's no need to exaggerate; we should be realistic. We can even point out some of the problems we're investigating and the reforms we're promoting, so that he can see that we genuinely want to make changes, not just empty slogans.
Finally, I extend my sincerest invitation.
It wasn't an invitation for him to come back and invest, but rather an invitation for him to visit his hometown.
Visit the old house, visit the villagers, and sweep the graves of your parents.
Tell him that no matter how far he goes or how great his achievements, Qingyan will always be his root, and the people of his hometown will always remember him.
Lu Xinghua nodded repeatedly: "County Chief Wu, this is a good idea. It moves people with emotion and adopts a humble attitude, resolving their inner conflicts first, and then planning for the future."
This is much better than those who immediately talk about projects and ask for money. I'll get on it right away.
"Okay. Draft a first draft of the letter, and we'll discuss it together."
They also kept me informed of the situation in Zhoujia Village.
This matter must be done quietly and diligently. Whether it succeeds or not, we must at least show our utmost sincerity.
"Yes, County Chief Wu, I understand what you mean. Use empathy to pave the way and sincerity to move people. I will get to it right away."
Wu Zhiyuan continued to flip through the roster, his gaze falling on another name—Fu Tingting, the president of the Provincial Vocational and Technical College.
"Xinghua, how much do you know about this Fu Tingting?"
"The president of the provincial vocational and technical college is a native of Qingyan. Her parents seem to still live in Qingyan."
He comes back during holidays, but he rarely contacts the county.
The Provincial Vocational and Technical College is a provincial higher vocational college with a considerable size and more than 10,000 students.
She has an older brother named Fu Guoqing, who owns a building materials store in Qingyan Town. Every time Fu Tingting comes back, she stays at her brother's house.
Wu Zhiyuan nodded, his gaze falling on another name—Jiang Haipeng, Deputy Director of the Provincial Department of Education.
Where is Jiang Haipeng?
Lu Xinghua said, "Jiang Haipeng's ancestral home is Shiyan Village, Wuhe Town. His father used to be the village's Party Secretary, but he passed away a few years ago. His mother lives with his brother in Wuhe Town."
His older brother, Jiang Haitao, runs a farmhouse restaurant in Wuhe Town.
Lu Xinghua is well-informed and has access to a wide range of information sources. During his years at the archives bureau, he has reviewed many files and knows a lot about the major and minor events in the county.
This is precisely what Wu Zhiyuan greatly admires.
If a county magistrate is not sharp-eyed and perceptive, then he is blind.
Wu Zhiyuan seemed to be deep in thought.
Lu Xinghua keenly sensed that Wu Zhiyuan seemed to be plotting something, and tentatively asked, "County Chief Wu, do you have something on your mind?"
Wu Zhiyuan did not answer directly, but stood up and walked to the map of Qingyan County hanging on the wall, his gaze falling on the location of Wuhe Town.
"Xinghua, what do you think is most important for a place to develop?"
Lu Xinghua thought for a moment: "Industry? Transportation?"
"They are all important. But the most fundamental thing is people." Wu Zhiyuan turned around. "With people, there is vitality, there is consumption, there is industry, and there is a future."
What does Qingyan lack? It lacks people, young people, and young people with knowledge and skills.
Lü Xinghua nodded in agreement.
Wu Zhiyuan continued, "The Provincial Vocational and Technical College is located in Jiangzhou City. I saw it when I was studying in Jiangzhou. It only covers a few hundred acres, the teaching buildings are still old buildings, and there are not enough dormitories, so they rent houses outside for students to live in."
The province has long wanted them to relocate and expand, but land prices in the city center are too high, and a suitable location has not yet been found.
Lü Xinghua understood, and his eyes lit up: "County Chief Wu, you want to persuade the Provincial Vocational and Technical College to come to Qingyan?"
"It's not impossible. Once the road from Wuhe Town to Jiangzhou is completed, it will be a half-hour drive."
This distance is acceptable for a vocational college.
When the time comes, we will open a bus route from Wuhe Town to Jiangzhou City. Even if the county government subsidizes part of the cost, we will still open the bus route.
Wuhe Town has land, mountains, and water, and a good environment, making it much cheaper to build a campus in the city.
With over 10,000 students and faculty, that's nearly 20,000 people. What does that mean?
This is equivalent to adding the population of a small town to Wuhe Town out of thin air.
Lu Xinghua became excited: "County Chief Wu, this idea is fantastic! Just the food, shopping, and entertainment of 20,000 people could drive so many industries! If we could build a university town in Wuhe Town, then..."
"University Town?" Wu Zhiyuan smiled slightly. "Xinghua, you've thought even further ahead than I have."
Lü Xinghua was a little embarrassed: "I just said it offhand."
"It was just a casual remark, but it hit the nail on the head. If the Provincial Vocational and Technical College can be established in Wuhe Town, it will indeed be just the beginning."
When a school comes to school, supporting facilities need to be developed accordingly, including commerce, catering, accommodation, transportation, and so on.
With popularity comes attraction.
Will other schools also want to come here if they see that the conditions are good, the cost is low, and the facilities are complete?
One, two, three... the concept of a university town is not a pipe dream.
The presence of a university town brings more than just consumption and talent.
It will become the core engine for industrial upgrading and technological innovation in Qingyan.
We can establish related science and technology industrial parks and business incubators around the advantageous disciplines of universities to achieve the integration of industry, academia, research, and application.
"County Chief Wu, this idea is very ambitious and the prospects are very attractive. But the difficulties are probably unprecedented."
The competition for the location of the new campus of the Provincial Vocational College will definitely be extremely fierce, and the conditions offered by other counties and districts in Jiangzhou should also be very attractive.
Dean Fu and Director Jiang are both from Qingyan. In such important decisions, much like Xu Enpei's role in selecting the site for the wildlife park, they can offer suggestions but don't have the final say.
"It's bound to be difficult. But anything is possible with human effort."
We cannot stop thinking about it or fighting for it just because it's difficult.
If Qingyan wants to develop, it cannot always follow behind others and pick up leftovers. It must have the courage and wisdom to plan ahead and strive for major projects.
The new campus of the provincial vocational college is the first breakthrough we must strive to achieve.
Wu Zhiyuan returned to his seat: "To win over the Provincial Vocational College, we need to win the support of Fu Tingting and Jiang Haipeng. Relying solely on hometown ties is not enough."
When selecting a new campus, the first consideration should be the school's future and development.
What we need to do is convince them that moving the school to Wuhe Town is in the best interest of the school's development.
This requires concrete solutions and sincerity.
Wu Zhiyuan paused for a moment, then continued, "Of course, hometown sentiment is both a stepping stone and a lubricant."
At least it gives us the opportunity to sit down and talk, and allows them to listen to us for a bit more. We cannot deny that.
Xinghua, with the Spring Festival approaching, has the county ever had the tradition of inviting people from Qingyan who are working elsewhere to come back for a gathering around the Spring Festival?
For example, could we organize a forum for respected local elders or a New Year's gathering?
Lu Xinghua replied, "Some townships have held forums for local notables, and the county Federation of Industry and Commerce has also held such forums. Sometimes they just involve eating and giving speeches, and they are merely formalities."
Moreover, most of those invited were business owners, with the aim of encouraging them to invest back in their hometowns, but the results were not good.
Wu Zhiyuan nodded; this situation was within his expectations.
"It has become a mere formality because it is too purposeful, turning into a disguised investment promotion meeting or a money-making meeting."
This will only deter those who genuinely want to do something for their hometown but dislike this approach. If we're going to do something, we can't do it this way.
My idea is to hold a truly sincere and heartwarming New Year's gathering in the name of the county party committee and the county government. The time will be set during the Spring Festival holiday.
Our goal is not to directly seek projects or investments.
Our primary goal is to connect people's hearts and strengthen our sense of community.
We want these Qingyan natives who are working hard away from home to feel the sincerity and warmth of their hometown, and to see the changes and goodwill of their hometown.
Therefore, the overall tone of the event should be based on "emotion."