In China, there are over 8,000 incorporated villages whose GDP has exceeded 100 million yuan (US$13.41 million). Among them, there are 11 villages whose GDP has reached 10 billion yuan. The 8,000 villages have generated 1.6 trillion yuan of GDP.

The information was released at the Seventh National Villager Heads Forum held in Nanchang, Jiangxi, last Sunday.

These rich villages make their fortune through various ways. Some develop agricultural production or animal husbandry; some turn their villages into ecological villages; some develop their agricultural industry into entrepreneurial mode; some develop economy in the suburban areas; some focus on developing heavy industry and some exploit their ancient cultural resources. For most villages, promoting industrial development has become their main way of economic development.

A related survey finds that 60% of the rich villages are centered in Beijing and Shanghai, as well as Guangdong, Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces, where China's opening-up started earlier. By taking advantage of China's open policy, many villages have found a suitable way to develop their own economy and manage the village affairs.

China now has over 600,000 incorporated villages. Since China carried out the reform and opening-up in 1978, some villages have made tremendous progress in economic development.

(Chinanews.cn November 6, 2007)