by Guruh Riyanto and Nurul Fitri Ramadhani
SERANG, Indonesia, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- In Tambang Ayam Village, a quiet coastal community in Indonesia's Serang Regency, Banten province, the sound of waves along Sambolo Beach has taken on new meaning. For village head Jumintra, it now echoes ideas and inspiration gathered thousands of kilometers away during a recent study visit to China.
Jumintra took part in the Fifth Indonesian Rural Cadre Training Program last month, a capacity-building initiative hosted by the Chinese Embassy in Indonesia and in partnership with the Indonesian ministry overseeing villages and development of disadvantaged regions.
Since 2019, the program has enabled selected Indonesian village leaders to study China's rural development strategies firsthand. By 2025, more than 100 village heads and grassroots officials had participated.
"It still feels unreal," Jumintra said. "Out of more than 75,000 villages, I was chosen to go to China. What I learned there, especially about tourism, really opened my eyes."
His experience well reflects how international cooperation in rural development can translate into tangible change at the grassroots level, one village at a time.
During the program, Jumintra and other participants visited the Chinese capital of Beijing and east China's Shandong Province, observing how Chinese villages balance heritage preservation, tourism development and community participation.
One of Jumintra's most memorable stops was Shixia Village near the Badaling section of the Great Wall in Beijing. There, he learned how residents protect historical assets while developing cultural tourism as a sustainable source of income.
"The cleanliness and warm hospitality were embedded in people's daily lives," he said. "Tourism there is not just about attracting visitors. It is about identity, responsibility and community involvement."
Back in Tambang Ayam Village, tourism has increasingly become a key driver of local development. In 2025, the village earned recognition in Indonesia's tourism village awards at the regency level.
Sambolo Beach, known for its white sand, coral-free shoreline, and sunset views, along with the Sumur Kenclong Nature Tourism Park, has become a main attraction area.
Inspired by the Shixia model, Jumintra has placed greater emphasis on village cleanliness, hospitality and resident participation. Villagers are encouraged to produce and sell local goods, including batik, handicrafts and emping, a traditional snack made from melinjo seeds.
As a result, the village has become a popular destination for school excursions, community sports groups and company gatherings. Monthly visitor numbers at Sumur Kenclong have reached the hundreds, while Sambolo Beach attracts thousands of visitors annually, according to Jumintra.
Cultural performances, such as traditional Banten dances, pencak silat martial arts and local folk arts, are now part of the welcome program for group visitors. "If the village is clean and welcoming, people will come," he said.
During his visit to Shandong Province, Jumintra also observed how modern technology, research and industrial-scale agriculture are integrated into rural development. He was impressed by the discipline and productivity he witnessed.
"There, standing still is considered a loss," he said. "Every step must move forward."
Another key stop was Nanshan Village in Longkou, a coastal city in Shandong. Nanshan has transformed from a poor village into a prosperous one through the development of Nanshan Group, a large collective enterprise that originated from the village. Today, the group operates globally and has overseas investments, including in Indonesia.
For Jumintra, Nanshan Village demonstrated that village-originated enterprises, when professionally managed, can grow far beyond their original scale.
While acknowledging that Tambang Ayam Village faces different conditions, Jumintra believes the underlying principles can be adapted locally. He envisions gradual improvements in village infrastructure, the development of educational agriculture, and partnerships to strengthen the village-owned enterprise.
"China shows what is possible when planning, discipline and community work together," he said. "Our task is to adapt those lessons to our own reality." ■