Wang Junyang attends the 28th China Youth May Fourth Medal Awards Ceremony as a winner.

Wang Juyang, a recipient of the China Youth May Fourth Medal in 2024, currently serves as general manager of the Xinjiang 170th Regiment Silk Road Sea Buckthorn Biotechnology Co., Ltd. He began his journey as a Western Project volunteer with the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps (XPCC) in 2009. Over 15 years, his efforts have transformed sea buckthorn cultivation in the Gobi Desert, turning it into a source of hope and prosperity.

Childhood dream of being in corps

Born in December 1986, Wang is a descendant of army reclamation farmers. His grandfather came to the XPCC after returning from the battlefield, where he helped resist U.S. aggression and aid Korea, and has since put down roots. Children of the corps are likened to diversiform-leaved poplars. The spirit of "obscurity and dedication" from the older generation has inextricably bound Wang to this land. Since childhood, he dreamed of inheriting the historical mission of the older generation: to station in border areas, cultivate land and defend border security.