Rural Collective Economy Manager Officially Recognized as a New Occupation

Beijing – In a move signaling further commitment to rural revitalization, China’s Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, along with other departments, officially recognized “Rural Collective Economic Managers” as a new profession on July 22nd. This formal recognition underscores the strategic importance of talent development in the ongoing push for rural prosperity.

Notably, Tencent’s Sustainable Social Value (SSV) division, through its “WeVillage Common Prosperity Village” project, has been pioneering the development of “Village CEOs” in partnership with the National Academy of Rural Revitalization at China Agricultural University for over three years. This initiative’s focus and practical approach closely align with the newly recognized profession, positioning it as a significant catalyst for the new role’s development.

By the end of 2024, the “Village CEO” training model, spearheaded by the government, had expanded to 309 counties across 17 provinces, including Chongqing, Yunnan, Guangxi, Zhejiang, and Guangdong. Approximately 66,000 individuals have been trained, actively revitalizing rural communities by leveraging underutilized resources, boosting collective village income, and driving rural revitalization efforts.

New Profession Unlocks Rural Resources, Drives Common Prosperity

According to the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, Rural Collective Economic Managers are defined as individuals “entrusted by rural collective economic organizations to manage economic activities such as resource contracting, property leasing, brokerage services, and operational property management to develop and strengthen the new rural collective economy.” Their core responsibility lies in representing rural collective economic organizations, unlocking village resources, and promoting the appreciation of collective assets, ultimately leading to stronger villages, wealthier residents, and shared prosperity.

Experts believe that the emergence of Rural Collective Economic Managers as a new profession embodies the essence of Chinese-style modernization in rural governance and economic development. This model prioritizes common prosperity, rural revitalization, and high-quality development, and the role of these managers is pivotal in translating these goals into tangible results.

Li Xiaoyun, Senior Professor of Arts at China Agricultural University and Executive Vice President of the National Academy of Rural Revitalization, stated in a media interview, “With the rapid advancement of rural revitalization, the diversification of rural functions is becoming increasingly apparent. Today’s rural industries extend far beyond traditional agriculture, requiring industrial operations to be market-oriented and supported by forward-looking operational planning. Simultaneously, revitalizing idle collective assets in rural areas and establishing new industries is a crucial task for rural revitalization. While some of this work can be undertaken by existing agricultural managers, new professional managers who are better equipped to adapt to these changes in rural areas are needed.”

(Caption) In February 2023, the inaugural summary conference of the “China Agricultural University-Tencent WeVillage Rural Professional Manager Training Program” was held in Zhaotong, Yunnan, with the first batch of 50 pilot trainees successfully completing their training.

Collaborative Efforts Drive the Cultivation of Rural Managers

The development of rural operational talent, exemplified by the Rural Collective Economic Manager, necessitates collaboration between the government, enterprises, universities, and social organizations. In recent years, innovative models have emerged across the country, providing policy support, education and training, and practical incubation to foster the growth of new professional talent, including Rural Collective Economic Managers.

In November 2021, Tencent SSV, in conjunction with the National Academy of Rural Revitalization at China Agricultural University, launched the “China Agricultural University-Tencent WeVillage Village CEO Training Program.” This initiative aims to develop a comprehensive and effective training system for rural operational talent and deliver high-quality professional managers to rural areas. The program filled a critical gap in the systematic cultivation of skilled rural operators, yielding significant social impact.

In September 2023, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of Zhejiang Province, with Tencent SSV as a co-organizer, innovatively implemented the “Zhejiang Thousand Village CEO Training Program.” In December of the same year, the Guangdong Provincial Committee of the Communist Youth League, Tencent, and China Agricultural University jointly launched the Guangdong “100 Counties, 1,000 Towns, 10,000 Villages” Youth Revitalization Project, exploring the cultivation of reserve talent for Village CEOs and establishing a phased and systematic training system for youth involved in rural revitalization. Tencent SSV also supports the Shenzhen Municipal Committee of the Communist Youth League in carrying out the Shenzhen Youth Revitalization “Qingpeng Program,” promoting urban youth engagement in rural areas and exploring diverse pathways for sustainable rural development.

Tencent’s Innovative Exploration Promotes the New Profession of Rural Collective Economic Manager

Tencent SSV’s “Village CEO Program,” co-created with the National Academy of Rural Revitalization at China Agricultural University since 2021, aims to foster specialized talent for rural collective economic operations. Through systematic training and empowerment initiatives, the program enhances the knowledge, capabilities, and skills of rural professional managers, thereby stimulating the development of rural collective economies.

On August 14, 2024, the Central Agricultural Radio and Television School, Tencent, and China Agricultural University jointly launched the “Ten Thousand Rural Professional Manager Training Program,” initiating related training activities in 2025.

Over the past three years, under the guiding principle of “government leadership, farmer participation, Tencent support, and social co-creation,” Tencent SSV has supported the Village CEO training program, scaling horizontally from individuals to thousands. Vertically, it has developed a phased training system encompassing reserve talent such as Youth Revitalization participants and advanced international talent for Village CEOs.

Xiao Liming, Vice President of Sustainable Social Value at Tencent SSV and Head of the WeVillage Development Lab, stated, “From Tencent’s perspective on driving sustainable social value innovation, we not only provide partial funding for training but, more importantly, Tencent’s digital connectivity is providing Village CEOs with greater possibilities for connecting knowledge, each other, resources, and markets.”

In conjunction with training, Tencent SSV’s “WeVillage Common Prosperity Village” project emphasizes digital empowerment of rural operations, leveraging digital tools within the WeChat ecosystem, such as WeChat video accounts, WeChat Mini Programs, cloud services, and cloud adoption mini-programs. This enhances the digital operational capabilities of rural professional managers, promotes rural brand value, and fosters new models of integrated agricultural, cultural, and tourism development.

Chen Jingjing, Head of the Tencent SSV “WeVillage Common Prosperity Village” Project, noted, “The Village CEO training explored by Tencent SSV aims to leverage talent cultivation as an entry point to promote farmer-led rural operations, transforming government support and urban dynamics into the intrinsic motivation of farmers, thereby achieving sustainable income growth for village collectives and villagers, and contributing to narrowing the urban-rural gap and accelerating the modernization of rural areas and farmers.”

As the “Rural Collective Economic Manager” formally becomes a new national profession, relevant occupational standards and certifications, career development paths, and talent support policies will continue to be refined. Tencent SSV has stated that it will continue to leverage its technology and connectivity capabilities, continuously iterating and upgrading the cultivation and empowerment of rural operational talent, further exploring sustainable social value innovation in rural areas, contributing to rural revitalization, and promoting common prosperity. (End)