In spring, Tongluo Flower Valley in the Nanan district of Chongqing became a popular destination for local people and a scenic spot for cruises along the Yangtze.

This newly opened vertical garden built on a hillside covers nearly 13 hectares and features some 120 types of trees and flowers, along with several pavilions. Visitors enjoy the scenery, drink tea, have meals and even stay at a cave-shaped hotel.

However, the site used to be a waste area for Fangniu village and later became a large, foul-smelling dumping ground for construction companies.

Village official Tang Hongdong said, "This illegal dumping ground seriously affected the environment and was also a threat to the Yangtze River."

On rainy days, waste and rocks from the site washed into the river, polluting the water, he added.

In January 2016, after an inspection tour to the riverside city of Chongqing, Xi said the environmental quality of the Yangtze "can only be allowed to become better, and can never be allowed to deteriorate".

The authorities in Chongqing quickly started improvement work along the Yangtze and Jialing rivers, repairing waterfronts, optimizing riverside functions, creating water-friendly spaces, and protecting historical and cultural resources.

As part of the program, Fangniu village worked with a local landscaping company to turn the dumping ground into an ecological park.

Zhang Shunyin, 65, owner of the company and a local villager, said, "I grew up by the river and I had to do something for the younger generation."

In 2017, work began on the Tongluo Flower Valley Ecological Park.

In the early stages, more than 300 trucks were used to remove waste from the site, home to over 50,000 cubic meters of dirt and stones. Because the hillside was so steep, the vehicles could not enter the construction site, so the waste had to be carried entirely by laborers, Zhang said

"But this failed to shake the determination to make our home greener and more beautiful," he added.

His company has invested more than 90 million yuan ($13.74 million) in the renovation project, for which dozens of local villagers have been employed.

"I hope that people on the vessels that pass by can enjoy the beautiful scenery in the river valley," Zhang added.