Jiang Zhihui, head of Mianchi Township (ZHAO XI)

After the May 2008 earthquake in west China's Sichuan Province, which left more than 80,000 people dead or missing and millions more homeless, Zhuhai City in west China's Guangdong Province was entrusted with the task of reconstructing Mianchi Township in Wenchuan County.

Mianchi, where the population is 60 percent ethnic Qiang, is only 18 km from the epicenter in Wenchuan County. The 8.0-magnitude earthquake left 164 people dead, eight missing and 2,810 injured. All infrastructure facilities were destroyed, resulting in a direct loss of 3.8 billion yuan ($561 million).

In accordance with the Central Government policy assigning each province to help one quake-hit county, Guangdong was responsible for reconstruction in Wenchuan, and the city of Zhuhai was specifically assigned to help rebuild Mianchi.

"The arrival of the construction aid team brought hope for quake victims, and the construction of homes spurred locals to emerge from the shadow of the disaster, calling to mind the Chinese saying that 'When disaster strikes, help comes from all sides,'" Jiang Zhihui, head of Mianchi Township, told Beijing Review. "While speaking of Zhuhai in glowing terms, residents are also giving high praise to the Communist Party of China."

Reconstruction in Mianchi includes 55 projects at a cost of 340 million yuan ($49.85 million), with 88 percent of the projects related to people's livelihood.

Zhuhai has invested 110 million yuan ($17.51 million) in infrastructure facilities in the township, including drinking water, traffic facilities and irrigation systems. The township government encouraged local residents to participate in these projects and receive wages as a means of supporting themselves. Local residents welcomed the 30 million yuan ($4.77 million) they earned working on these projects.

Some 30 technicians from the aid team are staying in Mianchi to help both guidance of construction and cultivation of personnel in terms of an engineering survey and planning for the township.

The highly-efficient management method employed by the Zhuhai construction aid team has been replicated by the township government and is becoming an intangible asset for locals. "The Zhuhai construction aid team will work here for a period of only about three years, but they are lifelong benefactors for the people of Mianchi," said Jiang.

In addition to aid funds for reconstruction, the Zhuhai Municipal Government has also donated 1.5 million yuan ($220,000) to the township government as a work budget. "All the vehicles of the township government are from this aid budget," said Jiang, "even though the annual work budget is just over 100,000 yuan ($14,700)."

Thus far, the construction of housing and related infrastructure facilities has basically been completed. Zhuhai has now begun to help Mianchi resume industrial production. Tourism is one of the highest priorities, with an expected investment of 70 million yuan ($10.26 million) from Zhuhai, in addition to funds for industrial development, according to Jiang. "Zhuhai has laid a solid foundation, but further development will depend on the efforts of our township residents."

The entire reconstruction project is expected to be finished by September this year, after which relations between Zhuhai and Mianchi will transform into cooperative counterparts as they enter "an age of post-aid-construction," according to Jiang.

(Reporting from Mianchi, Sichuan Province)