Policymakers will only be able to map out plans for sustainable development with foresight.

By providing free education to all its school-age residents, leaders of Wuqi in Northwest China's Shaanxi province have demonstrated their vision and responsibility for the future development of this mountainous county.

This poor county in the loess plateau became rich only recently because of the exploration of crude oil. The county's revenue was just 88 million yuan ($13 million) in 2002, but it jumped to 1.6 billion yuan in 2009. Profits from oil sales have pushed Wuqi to 19th place in the ranking of the country's 100 most economically powerful counties.