Decoding nation in David Ferguson's eyes

The Chinese and English editions of China's Development in the New Era: The Zhejiang Experience have been published by Foreign Languages Press, and an official book launch is to take place on Thursday in Beijing, featuring prominent speakers and seminars.

The book is written by David W.Ferguson, who was born in Scotland and graduated in law from the University of Edinburgh. He worked worldwide as a management consultant and speaks several languages. He came to China in 2006, and in 2008 joined China.com.cn as a journalist and editor, for which he covered the Wenchuan Earthquake, the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games and the 2010 Shanghai World Expo.

He has been a writer and editor with Foreign Languages Press since 2010, publishing eight books on contemporary China that introduce the cities of Nantong, Suzhou and Beijing, and the provinces of Guangdong, Jiangsu, Gansu and now Zhejiang.

In late 2022 and early 2023, Ferguson researched, wrote and published a book on China's poverty alleviation and rural vitalization strategies, based on his experiences in Gansu province. Later in the summer of 2023, he was invited to write a new book on the development experience of Zhejiang.

"Zhejiang offers an excellent window into China's economic and social development," writes Ferguson in China's Development in the New Era: The Zhejiang Experience.

It is a comprehensive exploration of Zhejiang province's transformation and its significance as one of the pioneers of China's development in the 21st century.

How can Zhejiang's experience inspire the rest of China? Having lived in China for many years, Ferguson has observed and developed an in-depth understanding of the country. He visited a broad range of locations in Zhejiang, including Yucun in Anji, a village where the philosophy "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets "was first put forward; the Dachen Islands in Taizhou, the birthplace of the Spirit of Reclamation; Ningbo-Zhoushan Port; Yiwu International Trade Market; and the headquarters and a factory belonging to the automotive manufacturer Geely.

His new book delves into Zhejiang from perspectives including opening-up, the private economy, the digital economy and green productivity. In 60,000 words, Ferguson shares his ideas about Zhejiang's contribution to China's sustainable development trajectory. The book centers on various sectors, bringing together 24 stories from across Zhejiang.

Ferguson found himself captivated by Zhejiang's burgeoning private economy, where he explored industry leaders like Geely and Alibaba, the legendary Yiwu market, and local agricultural entities like Zhejiang Xiangmanting Biotechnology.

As the strongest part of Zhejiang's economy, the private sector contributes more than 60 percent of the provincial GDP, more than 70 percent of its tax revenue, nearly 80 percent of its exports, and nearly 90 percent of jobs. In the latest list of China's top 500 private enterprises, 106 are based in Zhejiang, the largest number among all the provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions in the country for 26 years in a row.

After gaining insight into Zhejiang's geographical conditions, Ferguson is amazed at how the province has strategically leveraged its location to sustain high-level opening-up. Zhejiang has direct economic and trade relations with more than 220 countries and regions. In 2024, total imports and exports reached 5.3 trillion yuan ($733.7 billion), with exports accounting for 3.9 trillion yuan. For the purposes of the Belt and Road Initiative, Yiwu is closely integrated with Ningbo and Zhoushan by rail, with ongoing links by land and sea. The Yiwu-Xinjiang-Europe freight train stretches over 51 countries and more than 160 cities.

Zhejiang is one of the cradles of Chinese civilization, known as the home of silk and the land of fish and rice, and renowned for the wealth of its cultural heritage. The West Lake in Hangzhou, Jianglang Mountain in Quzhou, the Grand Canal, and the Liangzhu Archaeological Site are all on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Ferguson immersed himself in the essence of Hehe Culture during his visit to Taizhou, while his exploration of Quzhou offered him a profound understanding of the Confucian heritage and the enduring friendship forged during the Doolittle Raid in 1942.

"Lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets" is a principle that Zhejiang has long adhered to. Focusing on the green productivity of Zhejiang, Ferguson tells the stories of the Dachen Islands and Mogan Mountain, which attract young people who possess new technical and managerial skills to start their businesses, invigorating the growth of the tertiary sector.

Ferguson is impressed by Zhejiang's rural areas, saying places such as Wusi, Waitongwu, Yucun, Yudong, Quanjinglong and Tuanshi are villages of the future — a harmonious blend of prosperity, cutting-edge modernization and seamless digitization.

Since the Green Rural Revival Program's launch in Zhejiang in 2003, the rural living environment has been fundamentally improved, beautiful villages have spawned a thriving economy, and the per capita income of farmers has increased significantly. The province is integrating the development of urban and rural areas through the Beautiful Towns and Beautiful Villages initiative, effectively bridging the urban-rural divide and paving the way for common prosperity.