Dedication reinvigorates Chongqing community

A 53-year-old community worker in Chongqing has dedicated 20 years of her life to serving the people by resolving their issues and improving community governance, both of which express her determination and responsibility as a Party member.

Xie Lan, Party chief of Xingjiaqiao community in Chongqing's Liangjiang New Area, was born and raised in the community. Last year, she was elected as a delegate to the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China.

She said that before she became a community worker in 2002, she worked in transportation and then at a shoe factory. As a result of her leadership skills, she was appointed staff director of her community in 2013.

Around 30 years ago, as the country began to urbanize rapidly, Xingjiaqiao was one of the first areas of the city to develop, as 1,422 farmers realized a long-held dream of becoming city dwellers.

With the passage of time, however, the community became dilapidated and unsafe — with tangles of cables on walls and strung across streets, leaky apartment ceilings caused by aging pipes in kitchens and bathrooms, and unstable walls.

"A total of 465 out of the community's 488 apartments in 16 buildings needed repairs," Xie said, as she flipped through photos of some of the cases she dealt with on her mobile phone. Once, a wall crumbled and fell, nearly hitting one of the residents.

"I had to stand under an umbrella while cooking or using the toilet," said resident Huang Yantao.

In 2017, the local government launched a free renovation and transformation project to tackle the problems. To the surprise of Xie and her colleagues, most of the residents took a negative attitude toward the project, unable to take the local government at its word.

Xie remained undaunted. "Leaders must work hard to solve problems and improve people's quality of life," she said. "I was not prepared to let the residents miss out on this valuable opportunity."

Knowing that the neighbors had heard rumors that their buildings were to be sold and pulled down for commercial use, the small but vigorous woman and her team began to visit residents home by home with official declarations to dispel rumors.

This is how she came about her nickname of the "nut-cracking director", for she was constantly resolving renovation disputes in the neighborhood.

Just as the situation was beginning to take a favorable turn, Xie was diagnosed with lung cancer in September 2018, but even so, the "iron woman" would not be defeated. She continued to work even as she received treatment, so determined was she to get the work done.

"Good community governance requires consideration and care," she said. To ensure clear and efficient communication with residents, the down-to-earth director set up a community troubleshooting session that was held from time to time.

Her sincerity, round-the-clock availability and somewhat "crazy "attitude gradually earned the trust of even the most cantankerous residents and support for the project rose from 23 percent to over 90 percent.

At the end of 2018, work began on the first cluster of residential buildings.

Xie underwent surgery in April 2019 and her cancer remains in remission.

In early 2020, residents were able to move back into their newly refurbished apartments, including Huang, who was prone to grumbling about his situation. He said he's extremely thankful now.

The beloved official is sometimes given herbal medicines, gathered in the mountains and made into tea by one of the residents, or is invited to a family get-together as a neighbor.

As stated in the report to the 20th National Congress of the CPC, benefiting the people is the fundamental purpose of governance and an essential part of the Party's commitment to serving the public good, Xie said.

"We must ensure and improve the people's well-being as we pursue development, and encourage everyone to work hard together to meet aspirations for a better life.

"There is a great deal of responsibility involved, but I love to work," she added, noting that great changes have taken place in Xinjiaqiao and that so far, renovations have begun on 887 residential and commercial spaces in 27 buildings, which will be completed in two phases. Eight buildings in the first phase will be finished in March, and the last phase of the old residential area — which involves 502 residential and 135 commercial spaces in 14 buildings — will be officially launched after the Chinese New Year.

Xie said that old buildings have been equipped with elevators. Last year, community Party members and residents worked to make a garden. Residents' lives and the environment are getting better.

"The community has many expectations," she said. "And it is our duty to try to meet them."

Contact the writers at dengrui@chinadaily.com.cn