Sharpening the Blade Against the Red Wall: From Hong Kong to Handong

The morning after Zhou Jin returned to Yan City, she had her secretary notify Executive Vice Mayor Wang Hao to come to her office.

The office of the municipal party secretary now appears more spacious than the mayor's office used to be. The calligraphy "Rooted in the old revolutionary base area, working hard to revitalize the country" still hangs in the most conspicuous position on the wall, and sunlight streams in through the floor-to-ceiling windows, falling on the unfolded development plan map of Yancheng.

A knock sounded on the door, and Zhou Jin looked up: "Come in."

Wang Hao pushed open the door and entered. He was wearing a crisp navy blue suit, his hair was neatly combed, and he had a calm smile on his face. As a veteran who had been deeply rooted in Yan City for more than 20 years, he had watched Zhou Jin lead Yan City from a young mayor who had just arrived to a new era, and he felt both admiration and a sense of anticipation for the future.

"Secretary Zhou, you wanted to see me?" Wang Hao stood respectfully in front of the desk, his tone humble.

Zhou Jin stood up, smiling and waving his hand, "Mayor Wang, please sit down." He personally poured Wang Hao a cup of hot tea and handed it to him, "I just got back from the provincial capital, and the first thing I wanted to do was to have a chat with you."

Wang Hao took the teacup, a slight thought stirring in his heart, vaguely guessing what it was, but he didn't speak rashly.

Zhou Jin sat on the sofa opposite him, looking at him gently: "Mayor Wang, at the provincial leadership conference this time, the central government officially announced the appointment. I will take over as the secretary of the Yancheng Municipal Party Committee and will also be a member of the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee."

A hint of joy flashed in Wang Hao's eyes, and he quickly stood up to congratulate him: "Congratulations, Secretary Zhou! This is the organization's recognition of you, and it is also an honor for Yancheng City!"

"Don't rush to congratulate me." Zhou Jin gestured for him to sit down, then changed the subject, her tone becoming serious. "Regarding the successor to the mayor of Yan City, I have already recommended you to Secretary Qin of the Provincial Party Committee and Governor Wang."

"What?" Wang Hao looked up abruptly, his eyes wide with shock. The teacup in his hand trembled, and he almost spilled the tea. He had worked diligently as the executive vice mayor for five years, never expecting the opportunity to come so quickly, let alone that Zhou Jin would recommend him.

"I know your qualifications and abilities in Yancheng. You've been rooted in the grassroots for over twenty years, working your way up from districts and counties to the city government, experiencing every position and feeling familiar with every inch of Yancheng and every task." Zhou Jin looked at him sincerely. "You're 51 years old this year, mature and steady, and you do things step by step. I, on the other hand, have a bit of an adventurous spirit. The two of us working together will complement each other perfectly. This combination will ensure that Yancheng's development stays on track and doesn't falter."

He paused, then added, "The provincial party committee has already approved my suggestion, and the organization department should send someone to Yan'an City to investigate you within a week. During this time, you need to stay calm, carry out your work as usual, and report the facts truthfully."

Wang Hao was still deeply moved. He put down his teacup, stood up, and bowed deeply to Zhou Jin: "Secretary Zhou, thank you for your trust! I... I've worked in Yan'an for so many years, hoping to do more for the people of this old revolutionary base area. Rest assured, once the appointment is made, I will fully cooperate with your work without hesitation!"

"Sit down and talk," Zhou Jin said with a smile, helping him up. "We're partners, not superiors and subordinates. The development of Yan City depends on our team working together as one, and on the collective efforts of all the cadres and people in the city."

He then changed the subject and started talking about work: "The pilot implementation plan for building a strong nation in science and technology that we formulated earlier has been implemented smoothly, and we have now basically achieved our goals. The second phase of the apple deep processing base will be put into production next month, the number of users of the red cultural tourism digitization platform has exceeded 10 million, and the number of enterprises in the high-tech industrial park has exceeded 100."

Wang Hao nodded and continued, "These projects are indeed genuinely beneficial to the people. The apple industry has boosted the income of farmers in the surrounding three counties, and the cultural tourism projects have made Yancheng's reputation as a revolutionary city even stronger. However, I have also noticed some minor issues, such as the insufficient promotion of apple planting techniques in some townships and the uneven quality of homestay services supporting cultural tourism."

"This is the main point I wanted to discuss with you." Zhou Jin took a document from her drawer and handed it to Wang Hao. "Once you officially take over as mayor, lead the municipal government team to systematically review all projects, identify and address any shortcomings. Make up for the weaknesses in technology promotion, raise the standards of service quality, and thoroughly investigate any potential risks."

He looked at Wang Hao with a determined gaze: "Once we've analyzed the current situation, we'll work together to develop a new development plan. Next, Yancheng will move towards 'industrial clustering, cultural tourism branding, and universal benefits for the people,' striving to break through the 100 billion yuan GDP mark within three years and double the per capita net income of farmers!"

Wang Hao took the document, his fingertips trembling slightly. The document was filled with densely packed handwriting, the framework of a new plan that Zhou Jin had already drafted, covering everything from industrial upgrading to people's livelihood security, from ecological protection to talent attraction and cultivation, all revealing deep consideration.

He looked up at Zhou Jin, his tone unwavering: "Secretary Zhou, rest assured! I will definitely follow your instructions and ensure that all tasks are carried out meticulously. I will lead the team to go all out in formulating the new plan, and we will never allow Yan City's development to slow down!"

Zhou Jin nodded in satisfaction, stood up, and extended her hand: "Mayor Wang, it's a pleasure doing business with you!"

Wang Hao quickly reached out and grasped Zhou Jin's hand tightly; the two smiled at each other.

Sunlight streamed through the windows, illuminating every corner of the office and a brighter future for Yancheng.