On 14 May 2025, during the “Circular Economy and Sustainable Solid Waste Management” training forum, Mr. Gu Tianbiao, Deputy General Manager of Shunjiang Construction Group, shared the progress and insights from a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) project aimed at enhancing the rural living environment in Shangyu District, Shaoxing, Zhejiang. Widely regarded as one of the most impactful public service projects in the region, the initiative presents a replicable model for sustainable rural revitalisation.
1. An Inclusive Approach with Tangible Benefits
With a total investment of RMB 2.468 billion, the PPP project spans 20 towns and subdistricts, covering 322 administrative villages and comprising 446 sub-projects. The scope includes road paving, upgrading public toilets, river treatment, landscaping, and lighting enhancement. Building upon the “Five Water Treatment” initiative, this project represents a large-scale rural infrastructure upgrade under the China’s Rural Revitalisation Strategy. It is widely praised as a highly impactful livelihood programme that delivers tangible results for residents.
2. Comprehensive Transformation Across Five Domains
Mr Gu ighlighted the project’s effectiveness across five key areas:
- Improved Transportation Connectivity: Over 6 million square metres of asphalt and concrete roads were built or upgraded, resolving long-standing “dead-end” routes between villages. Additionally, more than 100,000 square metres of standardised parking areas were constructed, greatly improving mobility.
- Upgraded Sanitation Facilities: More than 350 public toilets were newly built or renovated, and over 200 waste collection points were installed, ensuring comprehensive access to sanitation infrastructure.
- Expanded Public Services: Over 70 multi-functional buildings were constructed to integrate party service centres, cultural halls, and village banquet facilities—enabling more efficient and accessible public service delivery.
- Enhanced Tourism Infrastructure: 13 national 3A-level scenic villages and 35 upgraded destinations completed facility enhancements. Three new cycling greenways were also established, supporting a dual strategy of rural tourism and social media-driven exposure.
- Revitalised Housing and Resource Activation: Idle village assets were revitalised through initiatives like hollow village remediation and homestay investment, upgrading the rural living environment with improved beauty, safety, and functionality.
3. Promoting Green Lifestyles Through “Environmental Pressure” Mechanism
The project is not just about physical infrastructure—it adopts an “environmental pressure” mechanism, using improved surroundings to influence the residents’ behaviour. By enhancing infrastructure and aesthetics, the residents have been inspired to adopt better habits, such as regular waste segregation and improved hygiene practices, leading to a rise in local environmental awareness and community civility.
4. Operations Strategy for Long-Term Sustainability
Unlike traditional models that prioritise construction while neglecting upkeep, the Shangyu PPP project embedded a 10-year operations and maintenance plan from the early design stage. A third-party service provider was engineered to engage and manage regular inspections, waste segregation campaigns, waste bin replacements, and daily maintenance operations—ensuring a shift from one-off interventions to systemic rural governance.
5. Systematic Engineering Approach to Complex Challenges
Faced with tight budgets, challenging tasks, and compressed timelines, Shunjiang Construction Group adopted an integrated strategy of “Concurrent planning, design, construction, and operations.” This systems engineering mindset enabled efficient project delivery within two years and sustained high-quality operations for five consecutive years.
As a leading local construction firm, Shunjiang Construction Group sees its role not just as a builder but as a contributor to national rural revitalisation. “We are committed to sharing the experience gained in Shangyu across wider regions to support the broader national goal of sustainable countryside development,” concluded Mr. Gu.