Livestreaming sales boost rural economies in China

To be a village Party secretary these days, you almost certainly need the skills required to be a livestreaming host. Camera-shy? Then you'd better practice, as your performance in front of the camera affects how well the products of your fellow villagers sell.

At an outdoor market in Shankou town in Xiushui county, East China's Jiangxi province, Party secretaries from 11 villages stepped up to the camera, one after another, as they championed the local produce of their villages.

Despite biting cold, their enthusiasm never wavered. Some became so absorbed and animated in pitching their goods, that they ended up unzipping their jackets in what were very chilly conditions.

"Fresh chili sauce from the deep mountains, spicy but not rough, limited stock," says one. "Quail eggs, one delightful bite after another, full of rich aroma," another calls out. Their pitches emanated from a livestreaming booth, a space that has been dubbed the "common prosperity market", echoing the nation's drive to bridge regional disparities and achieve prosperity for all.

The bustling scene at Shankou town's open-air market is just one local expression of a broader national shift, which is seeing modern-day e-commerce increasingly employed to boost farmers' incomes across China. Village officials, notably, have to lead the way in navigating this new path to prosperity.

In the No 1 Central Document for 2026, unveiled on Feb 3, which outlines plans to advance agricultural and rural modernization and promote all-around rural vitalization, it was noted that a high-quality development project for rural e-commerce will be implemented.

This year's document also mentions encouraging e-commerce platforms to empower local communities and standardizing livestreaming sales of agricultural products. This document is the first policy statement issued by China's central authorities each year.

The model of livestreams at rural fairs is particularly suited for remote villages where sales of agricultural produce were traditionally held back by poor connectivity. For instance, in Shankou town, a mountainous area about 40 minutes' drive from the county seat, many local farmers previously struggled to sell their produce, explains Huang Yilun, a town official.

Historically, such communities have relied on periodic open-air markets, some known as "temple fairs", which gather villagers on certain dates to trade a rich variety of local goods. These markets have functioned as both economic hubs and vibrant cultural gatherings.

Building on that tradition, since October 2024, Shankou town has creatively leveraged its existing market days, which fall on the 2nd and 16th of each month, to create a marketing model featuring livestreamed sales. This blending of modern e-commerce with conventional market practices helps turn local harvests into higher incomes for farmers. Huang Zhenxiu, a 63-year-old resident of Laisu village, grows tea leaves and vegetables to sell at markets as an additional income stream. Six months ago, she could hardly imagine earning money without leaving home.

"In the past, I had to carry my produce to the market and sell it there," she says. "Now, with the new sales channel of the common prosperity market, I can just pack things up for village cadres to take them to the market, and sit at home waiting for payment."

Currently, the common prosperity market operates on an "offline stalls + online livestreaming" model. On the eve of market day, village cadres collect and sort the villagers' produce. On market day, such products are sold both at the market and via online livestreams. Mail and delivery are taken care of collectively.

As a key feature of the common prosperity market, livestreaming requires the town to maintain a well-stocked talent pool of hosts and hostesses, thus forcing grassroots officials to hone their skills as live stream presenters, a responsibility they had hardly imagined having to assume.

Peng Guangming, Party secretary of Laisu village, had always been more comfortable working behind the scenes. But when he was recently asked to step forward as the main presenter, tasked with promoting his village's local products, he knew he had to rise to the occasion. On May 2 last year, Peng led a three-hour livestream and secured nearly 200 orders, generating over 4,400 yuan ($637.9) in sales.

The town mobilizes Party members and village officials to participate actively in livestreaming sales.

"Currently, single-session sales are consistently above 3,000 yuan, with cumulative livestream sales reaching 100,000 yuan, benefiting more than 100 households across the town," says Huang Yilun.

Lu Liheng, a Xiushui official, notes that the county plans to expand the common prosperity market model throughout the area.