The first dedicated policy introduced by a city with districts: Lishui in Zhejiang Province seeks to attract “digital nomads” across the entire region.
Free tours of key scenic spots; a free 300-square-meter entrepreneurial space provided for eligible startup projects, with funding support of up to 10 million yuan—this is how Lishui City in Zhejiang views “digital nomads” as new “city partners” to attract mobile residents and co-create in the context of an eco-friendly city.
On December 18th, the Talent Office of Lishui City, along with nine other departments, introduced “Eight Measures to Support the Development of Digital Nomads,” making it the first comprehensive policy specifically aimed at digital nomads in a designated city in China. The measures cover support for digital nomads coming to Lishui, operating in bases (communities), and employment and entrepreneurship for digital nomads in the city.
The concept of “digital nomads” was proposed in the late 1990s, predicting the emergence of a group of individuals who could earn income using mobile electronic devices while traveling the world and living in environments of their choice. Their work, life, travel, and leisure are integrated “online,” in contrast to traditional lifestyles that segregate these aspects. Today, this prediction has become a reality, with multiple countries issuing visas specifically for digital nomads. In China, several regions with convenient transportation and picturesque rural areas, such as Zhejiang, Anhui, Sichuan, and Yunnan, have already established digital nomad clusters.
“Rural areas are eager for young people from first- and second-tier cities who have ideas, capabilities, and networks to arrive, while young people hope to land their ideas in beautiful environments with convenient living and available resources. These eight measures are genuine and substantial, aimed at helping digital nomads accomplish what they want to do in Lishui,” a relevant official from the Communist Youth League of Lishui City told The Paper.
Digital nomads are predominantly from the cultural and creative industries and internet sectors, mainly engaged in creative work, with their stays ranging from several months to one or two years. Compared to “backpackers,” they often enjoy better economic resources, stay longer in one place, contribute more to the local economy, and integrate deeply into local life and culture. More importantly, their presence alters the longstanding trend of talent outflow from rural areas to cities in China, fostering a collaborative environment where young people from various professional backgrounds and cultural characteristics interact and elevate rural development.
This “chemical reaction” attracts different regions to include digital nomads in their economic and social development strategies.
According to previous reports from The Paper, government officials in places such as Huangshan City in Anhui and Ziyang City in Sichuan have recently researched local digital nomad communities, planning to launch creative innovation and entrepreneurship platforms targeting this group and accelerating the integration and transformation of ecology, industry, and talent. In October, Yixian County, which boasts world cultural heritage sites such as Xidi and Hongcun, unveiled policies using “three million yuan” to incentivize enterprises and institutions that attract over 800 digital nomads annually, along with establishing a guiding fund for digital nomad entrepreneurial investment and encouraging participation in rural revitalization, tourism development, urban construction, and cultural protection and inheritance. In December, the inaugural meeting of the Global Digital Nomad Alliance in Anhui was held, with around 40 initial member units.
Lishui covers an area of 17,300 square kilometers, making it the largest city in Zhejiang by land area, with a forest coverage of 81.7%. It is the only non-coastal, low-elevation city among the top ten cities nationwide for air quality. The city has nine counties (cities and districts) and currently hosts 11 digital nomad communities.
To facilitate digital nomads coming to Lishui, the local government launched the “DN Lishui” mini-program, providing services such as zero-threshold application for residency, mobile access across digital nomad communities, entrepreneurial resource matching, and social networking. The municipal finance department allocates up to 1 million yuan annually to reward digital nomads for promoting Lishui’s image and original content about nomad communities on new media platforms based on web dissemination indices. Additionally, digital nomads can enjoy free visits to key scenic spots.
Furthermore, Lishui aims to enhance the specialization and scale of digital nomad bases (communities) by regularly evaluating and rewarding outstanding operational teams. Newly developed bases (communities) will be included in the “Lishui Mountain Dwelling” project for upgrading, receiving a one-time incentive of up to 200,000 yuan.
“This is not about escaping, but about expanding,” the UniX community team, which operates the Lishui Guyan Huaxiang – 52 Hertz Community, remarked in their recruitment campaign for digital nomads: aiming to provide a natural oasis for work, entrepreneurial/employment opportunities, resource support, and a diverse, engaging youth community. Their vision is not merely “geographic arbitrage,” but rather to collaboratively create a co-existing rural aesthetic with local villagers, pioneering a sustainable lifestyle for youth within the modern context. They emphasize integrating their skills with rural resources to achieve mutual benefits, where those who love rural life can settle down, and city dwellers can manage projects remotely, facilitating a new nomadic lifestyle driven by passion and value realization.
In the previous year, Lishui achieved a regional GDP of 196.4 billion yuan, with the tertiary sector accounting for 56.5%. Its ecological environment index has topped the list in Zhejiang for 17 consecutive years.
“You will find that Lishui has all the conditions that other digital nomad communities have, such as convenient transportation, natural and cultural resources, and supporting facilities. However, our core mission is to establish a destination for travel and co-creation,” said Xie Bingwen, director of the Youth Development Department of the Communist Youth League of Lishui. He noted that Lishui is more suitable for immersive living than the “special forces travel” model, allowing digital nomads to genuinely experience a high-quality slow life and appreciate the beauty of mornings and evenings. “Some nomads I’ve met say their sleep quality has improved significantly while in Lishui.”
Another key term is “co-creation.” “We hope that digital nomads looking for resource cooperation and interested in rural and community development, employment, and entrepreneurship can realize their ideas in Lishui. Government departments can provide channels and connections, tailoring strategies for personalized needs. These eight measures span nine departments, creating an atmosphere in Lishui that welcomes and supports digital nomads,” he added. The investigation team from the Communist Youth League and the city’s policy research office has visited various places such as Anji, Dali, and Huangshan, noting that while each has its strengths and weaknesses, many communities that excel at attracting people lack connections while some are spontaneous but do not leverage governmental resources effectively. Initially thought to be free-spirited and unbothered, many nomads need local links and resources to thrive.
Xie Bingwen believes that international digital nomads engage in “geographic arbitrage,” such as earning in dollars while living in Thailand. However, such arbitrage may not apply domestically, especially in regions like Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai. The greater significance of nomadic communities lies in connecting talent with capabilities from first- and second-tier cities lacking resources and those in fourth- and fifth-tier cities or rural areas rich in resources but lacking talent. “Professional teams managing co-living and co-creation communities have a direct understanding of Lishui’s business environment, government services, and local resources. Continuous influx of nomads into the community can facilitate collaboration, transforming the community into an incubator. We hope to provide new meaning beyond ‘geographic arbitrage’ for digital nomads, fostering them as a more constructive group.”
Regarding strengthening entrepreneurial support, Lishui encourages digital nomads to apply for the “Green Valley Elite – Innovation Leading Action” entrepreneurship program, offering a free entrepreneurial space of up to 300 square meters, providing funding support up to 10 million yuan, and interest subsidies for loans within the same amount. Digital nomads who are graduates within ten years, including current students, can receive a one-time startup allowance of 10,000 yuan upon qualifying recognition by the human resources department and can claim a one-time social security subsidy of up to 5,000 yuan. Eligible individuals starting businesses locally can apply for loans of up to 800,000 yuan with interest subsidies. Support for digital nomads participating in the development of the “Lishui Mountain Farming” brand is also available, with a maximum reward of 300,000 yuan aimed at promoting brands and agricultural sales.
