In an exclusive interview, we spoke with representatives from the “Joint Secretariat,” a unique united front organization in Haining’s Haichang Street, Zhejiang Province, that is making waves across various social sectors by connecting educational resources, empowering businesses, and investing in rural projects.
Established in December 2021, the Joint Secretariat was created to address the challenges faced by grassroots united front organizations, such as fragmentation, lack of resource integration, and ineffective communication. It was formed by merging five major organizations: the street business association, the youth business association, the intellectual association, the new association, and the overseas Chinese association. The goal is to create a hub for “information sharing, resource collaboration, and joint activities.”
Currently, the Joint Secretariat boasts a team of seven members, linking over 400 organizational members and various resources, all aimed at facilitating traditional industry transformation, expanding public welfare initiatives, and supporting rural revitalization. “Our objective is to inject united front synergy into these endeavors,” a representative shared.
Recently, exciting news emerged from the 2023-2024 National Primary and Secondary School Information Technology Innovation and Practice Competition, where the “Intelligent Learning Society” team from Juhua Primary School in Haining won a national second prize in the AI Model competition. This achievement was made possible by the “Together for Prosperity” project promoted by the Joint Secretariat, which provided funding and resources to help schools offer specialized after-school training courses, laying a strong foundation for the team’s success.
Additionally, “Heart-to-Heart Support for Enterprises” is another flagship project of the Joint Secretariat. During visits to local businesses, they focused on addressing real problems faced by enterprises. They discovered that some textile and dyeing companies were struggling with insufficient gas supply and high electricity costs. In response, they organized collective electricity purchasing and optimized power supply solutions to help reduce operational costs.
“We’ve also launched the ‘Haichang Lecture Hall’ to empower business development by inviting experts and scholars from across Zhejiang to give lectures on innovation and transformation,” a spokesperson remarked. The initiative has already hosted six major events, including forums on future factories and intellectual property protection, attracting over 1,200 business representatives, and establishing itself as a key platform for enhancing entrepreneurs’ innovative capabilities.
While fostering enterprise development, the Joint Secretariat also leverages its member organizations’ resource advantages through the “Heart-to-Heart Common Prosperity Project,” which implements diverse public welfare initiatives. For instance, they proactively participate in social welfare ventures such as helping the needy, supporting education, assisting the elderly, and aiding the disabled. Notably, 24 member enterprises donated 1.55 million RMB to seven schools as part of the “Golden Autumn Towards Light” education assistance project. Furthermore, they initiated 129 charitable positions in villages, pairing 55 member companies with 62 struggling families, contributing over 740,000 RMB in donations.
Promoting common prosperity means not only increasing the financial resources of villagers but also enriching their spirits. In recent years, the Joint Secretariat has harnessed the talent and resource advantages of new generations and emerging social classes to invest in rural common prosperity projects, resulting in more than 1.8 million RMB in cumulative income for low-income farmers. They have also supported and co-sponsored cultural events like the inaugural Children’s Rural Culture and Arts Festival in Shuangxi Village, the Lotus Flower Festival in Shuangshan Village, and the Common Prosperity Lobster Fishing Season, contributing to the development of local culture.
Looking ahead, the Haining United Front will continue to harness collective strength to expand the influence and coverage of the “Joint Secretariat” mechanism. “We aim to seamlessly connect ‘organizations, talent, resources, and projects’ more efficiently, creating a multi-tiered, coordinated grassroots united front that enhances the integration and innovation of social organizations,” emphasized a representative from the Haining United Front.
