Global Times: Practitioners' Insights: Urban-rural bus Route 101 - a vivid practice of 'following a good blueprint through to the end'

BEIJING, June 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- In the early morning, the lights of the Daxin Road bus hub in downtown Jiaxing cut through the mist. The hub marks the starting point for the city's urban-rural bus Route 101. Driver Shen Shuigen arrives half an hour early, as usual, expertly checking the vehicle's tires and water tank.

At 6 am, with the sound of the departure bell, Shen drives the Route 101 bus smoothly out of the station, and the onboard radio begins: "Welcome aboard Route 101; it covers a total distance of 24 kilometers, heading to Fengqiao Township…"

Known as the "first line of urban-rural transport in Jiaxing," Route 101 is a model for the urban-rural public transport integration reform nationwide. In 2003, as secretary of the Communist Party of China Zhejiang Provincial Committee, Xi Jinping comprehensively and systematically articulated eight advantages of Zhejiang's development based on years of experience, proposing eight forward-looking measures that would guide the province's reform and the construction of a moderately prosperous society.

Under the guidance of the "Double-Eight" strategy and the coordinated development of urban and rural areas, Jiaxing was among the first in the country to launch public transport integration, officially launching the Route 101 as a pilot route.

In March 2004, Xi rode the Route 101 bus in Jiaxing, and emphasized that promoting urban-rural integration is a systematic endeavor that requires resource integration and refined planning.

In the article "Follow a Good Blueprint" in the first volume of the book Xi Jinping: The Governance of China, Xi notes that "if a blueprint is good, factually based, scientifically sound and well-received by the people, we should keep working on it, one administration after another." 

Over the years, inspired by this strategic thinking of "following a good blueprint through to the end and making it a success," the national urban-rural public transport network has continuously expanded, with stations becoming denser and bus facilities improving.

From the winding mountains of Kaili in Southwest China's Guizhou Province, to the vast gobi of Kashi in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, and to the lush vegetable gardens of Jishou in Central China's Hunan Province ... buses weaving between urban and rural have connected remote corners of the country, painting a vivid picture of people's better livelihoods.

Transformations on wheels

Shen, with nearly 30 years behind the wheel, knows best the warmth of the steering wheel. 

In 1996, Shen drove a 19-seat private minibus, commuting daily between Jiaxing's urban and rural areas. Back then, the route from Jiaxing to the rural Fengqiao Township was lined with farmland, and the road conditions were poor. 

In 2003, guided by the "Double-Eight" Strategy, Jiaxing took the lead in initiating urban-rural public transport integration reform, for the first time transforming rural passenger transport into urban-rural public transport. In 2009, the city began reforming the urban-rural public transport operating system, nationalizing private urban-rural buses.

This marked a turning point in Shen's career, as he became a full-time driver for Jiaxing's urban-rural bus Route 101, with the bus company providing him with social insurance and housing funds.

Route 101 stands as a vivid testament to the continuity of urban-rural transport planning under the strategic vision of "following a good blueprint through to the end."

In Jiaxing, the journey began with the "1.0 reform" of urban-rural public transport in 2003, leading to the birth of the first Route 101 bus; followed by the "2.0 reform" in 2009, which nationalized urban-rural public transport and unified ticket prices; and culminating in the "3.0 reform" of urban public transport integration in 2021, which established services including "one QR code for all" and integrated telecommunication, broadcasting, and internet networks. Each reform was built steadily upon the foundation of the last.

In the article "Follow a Good Blueprint," Xi urges the work at local and departmental levels to embody the "nail" spirit: "When we use a hammer to drive in a nail, a single knock often may not be enough; we must keep knocking until it is well in place." The continuous transformation of urban-rural transport nationwide over the past 20 years is backed by the unwavering determination of many who are committed to the "nail"spirit and "keeping working on it, one administration after another."

As of now, Jiaxing has launched a total of 394 urban-rural bus routes, with 1,583 vehicles in operation, achieving full coverage of urban-rural public transport across all 62 towns and 740 administrative villages, benefiting 5.608 million urban and rural residents, the Global Times has learned from local government.

The Route 101 bus that Shen drives has undergone several upgrades over the past two decades. From 19 seats to 92, diesel to new energy electric buses, and from steel to environmentally-friendly carbon fiber bodies, the bus is now equipped with modern amenities like air conditioning and TV screens. Shen shared with the Global Times that passenger feedback has improved significantly in recent years, with more regular riders than ever.

A coordinated approach on transportation

Public transportation is not merely a means of getting from point A to point B; it serves as a catalyst for urban-rural integration.

Creating a blueprint for coordinated urban-rural development requires comprehensive strategic planning. As Xi warned in the article "Follow a Good Blueprint" that, "If we knock here and there without focusing on the nail, we may end up squandering our efforts altogether."

How can the development of urban-rural buses be integrated into Jiaxing's overall strategic blueprint? An official from Jiaxing transportation bureau told the Global Times on condition of anonymity that since 2011, the bureau has been drafting a special public transportation development plan every five years, which is incorporated into the overarching comprehensive transportation and urban planning.

Starting from the Daxin Road bus hub, Sanxing village is the 25th stop on the Route 101. The village's economy centers on peach and grape cultivation and eco-tourism. In 2022, Jiaxing's transportation bureau optimized Route 101 by adding more stops in Sanxing and neighboring towns, extending coverage into residential areas and tourist sites to better connect the region's tourism resources.

"Public transport is a strategic move that has laid the foundation for rural revitalization," said Chen Jianmin, deputy director of the village committee. He shared with the Global Times that the introduction of the bus Route 101 and other urban-rural public transport options has made city dwellers more willing and frequent visitors to the village. This has not only boosted sales of local villagers' peaches and grapes, but has also led to a surge in local businesses such as restaurants, guesthouses, and pick-your-own farms. "It's no exaggeration to say that every villager is benefiting from this."

Public transport serves as a starting point for integrating various resources, with the blueprint for urban-rural integration vividly unfolding across China. These routes serve as resilient links, weaving together diverse industries across cities and villages.

'Bound for happiness'

In a recent instruction on the work concerning the compilation of the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030), Xi stressed sound, democratic, and law-based decision-making to ensure China's next five-year plan for national economic and social development is formulated in high quality. The Chinese leader also emphasized the importance of integrating top-level design with seeking advice from the public, the Xinhua News Agency reported on May 19.

A good blueprint needs to be well-received by the people. With the enthusiastic feedback from residents and passengers, the facilities and services of urban-rural public transportation in this city have been continuously improved.

Shen noted that in the past two years, the last departure time of Route 101 has been extended from 6 pm to 10 pm, and a temporary mother and baby room has been added on board., allowing mothers to breastfeed on the way.

Guided by the principle of following a good blueprint through to the end, the integration of urban and rural areas and coordinated regional development have yielded remarkable results at the national level. Since November 2012, the ratio of per capita disposable income between urban and rural residents has decreased from 2.88:1 to 2.39:1, continuously narrowing the income gap. In 2023, the per capita disposable income of rural residents in China surpassed 20,000 yuan ($2,785), marking a 130-percent increase since 2013, Economic Daily reported in September 2024.

On a day in June, a Global Times reporter boarded the Route 101 bus, traveling from the urban center of Jiaxing to its countryside. Villa complexes, business parks, eco-tourism sites, fruit-picking orchards, and family-friendly attractions blended seamlessly, making it difficult for outsiders to discern the boundaries between urban and rural landscapes.

At the final stop, Shen brought the bus to a halt and conducted his routine checks. He recalled a moment from March 2004, when Xi had taken the Route 101 bus and later engaged in a warm conversation with him, who was the driver of the bus at that time. That moment left Shen deeply inspired. Over the past two decades, driving the 24-kilometer route connecting city and countryside, Shen has witnessed the rapid transformation around him and the steady realization of the integrated development blueprint.

"Look, the road, the bus and our life, everything is achieved through continuous efforts," Shen said, pointing to the front of the bus, where the words "Bound for happiness" were emblazoned. "With good planning, and a 'nail' spirit, isn't life becoming broader and brighter for the people, just like these roads connecting city and countryside?"

SOURCE Global Times