Zhang Zhongshan feeds sheep at the breeding farm of his cooperative in Dongxiang Autonomous County of Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Gansu Province, Feb. 25, 2025. (Photo: Xinhua)

 

Zhang Zhongshan checks the growth of a lamb at the breeding farm of his cooperative in Dongxiang Autonomous County of Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Gansu Province, Feb. 25, 2025. (Photo: Xinhua)

Zhang Zhongshan, a deputy to the National People's Congress (NPC), is the head of a planting and breeding cooperative in Dongxiang Autonomous County.

Zhang, 31, grew up in one of the county's mountainous areas. Herding sheep had been a daily routine of Zhang after school. After graduating from a vocational school in 2013, Zhang left his hometown for work, where he gained experience and knowledge in e-commerce. In 2018, encouraged by government policies that supported rural entrepreneurship, Zhang returned to Dongxiang and founded the cooperative, focusing on the breeding, sales, and promotion of local agricultural products, including Dongxiang sheep.

Zhang Zhongshan (R) checks the growth of a lamb at the breeding farm of his cooperative in Dongxiang Autonomous County of Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Gansu Province, Feb. 25, 2025. (Photo: Xinhua)

 

Zhang Zhongshan checks the growth of sheep at the breeding farm of his cooperative in Dongxiang Autonomous County of Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Gansu Province, Feb. 25, 2025. (Photo: Xinhua)

Zhang Zhongshan feeds sheep at the breeding farm of his cooperative in Dongxiang Autonomous County of Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Gansu Province, Feb. 25, 2025. (Photo: Xinhua)