[China Through Foreign Eyes] Decoding the Winter Jujube Secret

"It's hard to imagine that these white saline-alkali flats now produce sweet jujubes sold around the world. Technology has completely changed the destiny of this land." Anna, a Romanian blogger, spoke with amazement as she filmed the endless rows of greenhouses at the 10,000-mu (667-hectare) Winter Jujube Demonstration Park in Xiaopo Village, Anren Town, Weinan, Shaanxi.

Rows of modern greenhouses now stretch across the former saline-alkali floodplains of the Yellow River. Through large-scale cultivation across thousands of mu, ecological restoration and greenhouse farming have turned this wasteland into a "treasure trove."

Photo by Zhang Haijiao

Decades ago, the Yellow River floodplains in Xiaopo were barren, saline-alkali flats. Locals described the land as "white from afar, waterlogged up close, and a place where nothing grows." Today, 15,000 mu of winter jujube orchards blanket the area, with an annual output value exceeding RMB 120 million. This once-impoverished village has reinvented itself as a renowned, prosperous village.

Yemeni blogger Yaser Abdulrahman Mohammed Ahmed Al-Ademi picks ripe Dali winter jujubes in a greenhouse

Photo by Cui Zhengbo

Zambian blogger John Kawawa Kadichi displays freshly purchased Dali winter jujubes 

Photo by Cui Zhengbo

This dramatic transformation has drawn international visitors eager to decode the story behind the fruit—a story of how technology and industry have fueled China's rural revitalization. John, a Zambian blogger, remarked: "By improving the soil through water diversion and scientific planting, they've turned a wasteland into a goldmine. This reflects the unique wisdom of Chinese agricultural governance."

An intelligent sorting line in action

Photo by Long Xinyan

At the Anyou Winter Jujube Specialized Cooperative, Chinese and international bloggers stopped to film an automated sorting line that uses sensors to test sugar content while handling the fruit with care. In Liangyi Town, greenhouses at the Lyufengyuan Winter Jujube Specialized Cooperative are equipped with million-level air-source smart temperature control systems. Farmers can now manage temperature, humidity, precise fertilization, and irrigation via a mobile app. "I've seen how technology empowers rural China. I now have a deeper understanding of why 'strengthening agriculture is the foundation of a strong nation,'" said Kazakhstani blogger Gleb Antsiferov with an appreciative thumbs-up.

Kazakhstani blogger Gleb Antsiferov gives a thumbs-up to Dali winter jujubes

Photo by Chen Nan

The success of this small fruit shows the world that technological innovation and developing distinctive industries suited to local conditions are the most vivid and compelling "secrets" behind China's rural revitalization.