In just over two decades, Yuanshan Forest Farm has changed beyond recognition. It used to be uncompetitive and debt-ridden.But now it is one of the most lucrative tourist spots in East China's Shandong province, earning over 100 million yuan ($15.36 million) every year from its ecotourism, aquaculture, hotels and other businesses.Over 150 forest farm directors had traveled to Yuanshan, in Zibo, to learn about the transformation. They were told that Sun Jianbo, the farm's director, is the key.Sun, 58, has worked at the farm since 1986. Planting, nurturing and felling trees had been the farm's pattern since his arrival, just like other forest farms across the country.Until in the 1990s, the central government prohibited forest farming. To survive, the farm started six businesses, such as a cattle ranching and an ice cream factory. When he was promoted to the leadership post 10 years after starting at the farm, nearly all six businesses were losing money and the farm had been defaulting on over 400 staff salaries for 13 months.I had spent many a sleepless night and the suffering was even more bitter than my physical disability, said Sun, whose right leg was disabled by childhood polio.To fix the problem before it was too late, Sun carried out a series of reforms. He abolished the life-tenure system in leading posts and promoted those who dared to put their visions into reality.Those do-nothing leaders were replaced by people who really wanted to do something, he said.After thoroughly researching the farm's resources, he developed a tourism model and invited experts from across the country to plan the scenic spot.Sun also closed all the unprofitable businesses and started a few new ones, including a winery and a nursery garden.Sun said farmworkers used to cut down trees and sell them to coal mines for only a few yuan each. But after the nursery garden was set up, trees were sold to urban landscaping companies.Each of the trees can sell for hundreds of yuan, sometimes thousands of yuan, he said.Sun also gave priority to environmental protection. He established a firefighting squad and invested heavily in professional equipment. He also initiated a performance-related pay system, which is linked to the forest's survival rate and the frequency of forest fire. As a result, the forest protection rate increased from 82 percent to over 94 percent in the decades since 1996.According to Sun, salaries have been increasing by about 20 percent annually, reaching 56,000 yuan a year. In addition, the farm provides each staff member with a free dormitory and an apartment developed by the farm's own real estate company in the nearby town at a preferential price.Stuffing cakes do not drop from the sky. Without hard work and spirit to reform and to chart the unknown, the green hills and clear waters won't turn into economic benefits on their own, Sun said. wristbandsilicone fidget spinnerrubber bracelets custom cheapfidget spinner bracelet
About 80 percent of liver cancer patients in China would like to see a wider range of treatments included in the reimbursement lists of basic medical insurance programs, according to a survey of 300 family members of liver cancer patients nationwide.More than half of those surveyed said the patients are most in need of drugs that can effectively relieve pain and prolong life, according to the online survey, which was conducted by Life Times, a health newspaper in Beijing, in February and March.The results were published last month.Most of the patients covered by the survey were age 50 or older, and 55 percent said they were already in the late or terminal stages of liver cancer when they were diagnosed.More than half of the patients said they only sought medical advice after experiencing a period of physical discomfort, and only 10 percent were diagnosed during regular physical checkups.About 3 percent had been misdiagnosed once.Nearly 70 percent said they did not pay enough attention to warning signs and symptoms during the early stages of the disease.Nearly 60 percent of those surveyed said their lives had been disrupted by having a family member with liver cancer, and they were unable to obtain adequate rest.More than 40 percent of the relatives spent all of their time after work caring for the patient.More than 51 percent said they had experienced heavy financial pressure as a result of high treatment costs, while just 4.7 percent said they had experienced very little pressure.Wu Jianxiong, director of the hepatobiliary department at the Cancer Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, said China has one of the highest incidences of liver cancer in the world, accounting for more than half of all new cases globally every year.A major reason for the increased incidence of the disease in China is the high number of patients with hepatitis B and C, which are both prone to develop into cancer.Liver cancer is difficult to detect in the early stages, which results in many patients missing the opportunity for effective treatment, he said.Wu suggested that people at higher risk, such as those with hepatitis B and other liver conditions, should have regular checkups.He added that good dietary habits and a healthy lifestyle can help to prevent the disease from developing.
