Aba Prefecture Modernizes Infrastructure 90 Years After Long March
Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture has replaced traditional transport with highways and rail to drive economic growth and ecological conservation.
The Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture in Sichuan Province has transitioned from an inaccessible plateau to a modernized region ninety years after the historic Long March. Infrastructure improvements have replaced horse-and-yak transport with highways, rail, and drone deliveries, while the local economy has shifted toward ecological sightseeing and red tourism.
Dai Dejun, secretary of the Aba Prefectural Party Committee, characterized the pursuit of high-quality development and common prosperity as a "new Long March." This initiative aligns with the 15th Five-Year Plan to double per capita GDP from 2020 levels by 2035. Local efforts to increase incomes include the development of cultural tourism in Yanong Village.
Environmental conservation has increased the wild giant panda population to approximately 1,900. However, the region now faces new climate-driven hazards, including mudslides, as it continues its modernization process.
