Chinese President Xi Jinping called for continuous efforts to enhance the agriculture sector with Chinese characteristics at a key rural work conference, which was held from Friday to Saturday in the capital Beijing.

China, with a vast population of 1.4 billion, or around one-fifth of the global population, bears only 9 percent of the world's arable land. The majority of the food supply comes from China's own farmlands. Given the limited resources plus the country's drive for a sustainable relationship between humans and nature, Xi urged "a Chinese way" based on the current state of the country, rather than directly taking experiences from other agriculture-stronger countries. 

The annual meeting over which Xi presided was attended by members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee.

At the two-day meeting, Xi, also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, stressed the importance of grain security and the "stable supply" of major agricultural products, while also reiterating his call for rural revitalization in strengthening the market competitiveness and sustainable development of villages.

Preserving grain security and stabilizing the safe supply of major agricultural products are the No. 1 priorities of strengthening China's agricultural sector, Xi noted, urging a new round of improvement of grain production with solid actions.

According to official data, China's grain output totaled about 686.53 billion kg this year, up 0.5 percent or 3.68 billion kg compared with 2021, amid the impact of both extreme weather and COVID-19. Wheat and corn output rose 0.6 percent and 1.7 percent year on year, respectively.

At the meeting, Xi called for upgrading the country's "basic farmland" into "high-standard farmland" step by step. Official estimates show that the country's high-quality farmland will have reached 1 billion mu (about 66.67 million hectares) by the end of 2022.

He also urged improvement in farmers' benefit systems. 

Over the past decade, China has steadily raised the minimum purchase prices for rice and wheat, provided subsidies for grain planters, and introduced cost and income insurance for major grain producers in main production areas with a slew of policies.

In 2022, 40 billion yuan (about $5.63 billion) has been allocated from the central government budget to ease the impact of agricultural material price rises, along with agricultural specialists being sent to fields across the country to assist farms.

Besides reform, Xi also called for utilizing the power of technology in achieving structural upgrades.

(Cover: Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, addresses the annual central rural work conference in Beijing, capital of China, which was held from December 23 to 24, 2022. /Xinhua)