Xi: The harder the times, the more important stable agriculture is

Chinese President Xi Jinping has stressed efforts to stabilize agricultural development and ensure food safety amid the COVID-19 outbreak.

In doing so, President Xi urged to strengthen the weak links in agriculture, rural areas and people there, and provide firm support for fighting the virus and accomplishing the year's main tasks and targets for economic and social development.

President Xi made the remarks in a recent instruction on the country's agriculture production.

"The more we face risks and challenges, the more we need to stabilize agriculture and ensure the safety of grain and important non-staple food," Xi said.

He also asked Party committees at all levels to make solving problems faced by agriculture, rural areas, and farmers a top priority in all work in accordance with the tasks for securing a decisive victory in building a moderately prosperous society in all respects.

Xi Jinping urges to orderly resume business operations, turn COVID-19 outbreak into impetus

President Xi also detailed measures to ensure agricultural production on schedule: policy support for raising grain productivity should be increased; modern agricultural infrastructure strengthened; prevention and control effects of diseases and pests continued; and pork production stepped up.

Noting it is the critical time for spring plowing, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang called for all areas and departments to put into practice the principles in President Xi's major addresses and required solid and precise implementation of the decisions and policies made by the CPC Central Committee.

Premier Li called for efforts to achieve this year's economic and social development goals and tasks, and step up measures to resume production of companies specializing in agricultural materials.

During a video conference conveying those instructions on Tuesday, Chinese Vice Premier Hu Chunhua also underscored the importance to enhance Party leadership on agricultural and rural affairs.