An aerial photo shows the Beipanjiang Bridge of the Hangzhou-Ruili Expressway, one of the world's highest bridges, at a height of 565.4 meters above the Beipanjiang Grand Valley in Guizhou province. [Photo provided to CHINA DAILY]

"Since the company's founding in 2005, we have been actively seeking cooperation with universities and institutes to fully leverage technology for product innovation and update the manufacturing process while taking advantage of the government's supportive policies to encourage high-quality development. We have also ramped up efforts to explore raw materials in forests and develop healthy foods such as bamboo shoots, as the improving ecology and environment in Guizhou provide an abundance of natural resources," said Deng Qibin, general manager of Hot Chishui.

The company now covers an area of 14 hectares and has a factory occupying 100,000 square meters. It develops snacks whose raw materials are found in forests, such as bamboo shoots and mushrooms, and has built production lines with modern food processing technologies. By growing bamboo shoots in local villages and counties, the company offers jobs to over 400 villagers whose annual incomes now surpass 55,000 yuan per person.

Since 2016, Chishui has lessened its focus on raising the GDP of its counties and villages and their ability to attract investment. Instead, the city stressed the development of the green economy, such as producing paper made of bamboo pulp, bamboo furniture, organic food and tourism in answering the provincial government's call for high-quality and greener economic development.

Switching focus from economic growth to green development didn't drag down the local economy in Chishui, but instead pushed the city to explore a path of high-quality development. Last year, the city's GDP was 1.8 times that of 2016, while its forest coverage rate reached 82.51 percent.

Local residents have also benefited from Chishui's transitioning to a greener economy. Yin Tianfu, a villager who lives at the foot of Tiantai Mountain in Chishui, has seen his annual income continue to grow and exceed 100,000 yuan last year.