Chinese officials said guaranteeing national food security, improving the development of rural industries, strengthening rural construction and deepening rural reform are among top priorities for 2024.
The comments were made at a news conference in Beijing on Sunday, one day after China published the "No. 1 central document" for 2024, which outlines the yearly priorities for achieving rural revitalization.
Read more: Key takeaways from No. 1 Central Document on roadmap for rural revitalization
The Chinese State Council Information Office holds a press conference on advancing rural revitalization across the board by drawing on the experience of the Green Rural Revival Program in Beijing, February 4, 2024. /Chinese State Council Information Office.
Roadmap for rural revitalization
Han Wenxiu, executive deputy director of the Office of the Central Financial and Economic Affairs Commission, pointed out the "No. 1 central document" for 2024 anchored the goal of building up China's strength in agriculture, focused on the theme of promoting the comprehensive rural revitalization and was guided by the experience of "Thousand Villages Demonstration and Ten Thousand Villages Renovation" project.
Stressing the "No. 1 central document" clarified what and how to promote rural revitalization, Han, who is also director of the Office of the Central Rural Work Leading Group, summarized three main points of the document as "two ensures," "three improvements" and "two strengthens."
The document underlines the effort to ensure the nation's food security and ensure that people do not sink back into poverty in large numbers, Han said, adding China will ensure that the country's annual grain output remains over 1.3 trillion jin (650 billion kg).
"The key to avoiding a large-scale return to poverty is to implement monitoring and assistance to prevent a return to poverty, strengthen industry and employment assistance, and strive to enhance the endogenous development momentum of poverty-stricken areas along with the people who have been lifted out of poverty," He noted.
According to Han, the three "improvements" means the document calls for improving the level of rural industrial development, the level of rural construction and the level of rural governance.
"The focus of improving the level of rural construction is to continuously improve rural infrastructure, the living environment and public services, based on the actual conditions of various places and the needs of farmers," said Han.
He added the "two strengthens" pointed to efforts to strengthen the role of reform and the role of sci-tech development in promoting rural revitalization, and to facilitate various means by which rural residents can increase their incomes.
Han Wenxiu, executive deputy director of the Office of the Central Financial and Economic Affairs Commission and director of the Office of the Central Rural Work Leading Group, attends a press conference in Beijing, February 4, 2024. /Chinese State Council Information Office
'Thousand Villages Demonstration and Ten Thousand Villages Renovation' project.
The document called for the study and use of the examples set by the "Thousand Villages Demonstration and Ten Thousand Villages Renovation" project, which was launched in 2003 in East China's Zhejiang Province and has successfully created thousands of beautiful villages, fundamentally changing the face of the province's countryside.
Speaking at the press conference, Han noted the project has not only profoundly changed the overall outlook of Zhejiang's rural areas, but has also provided a successful example for the advancement of comprehensive rural revitalization by making pioneering explorations.
From "selling stones (mineral products)" to "selling scenery," Yucun Village, which is located in Anji County of East China's Zhejiang Province is a vivid example.
The village was plagued by pollution and safety issues more than 20 years ago, as people there blew up mountains for mining purposes and built cement factories, which filled the sky with smoke and dust, and made streams cloudy.
After the implementation of this project, Yucun Village made up its mind to shut down its polluted mines and cement factories. Later the clear waters and verdant mountains have become a source of income for the villagers of Yucun. The village received 700,000 tourists in 2022, and the per capita income of the local villagers reached 64,000 yuan ($8,780).
Yucun Village was included in a list of 44 villages from 32 countries termed the "Best Tourism Villages" by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the "Thousand Villages Demonstration and Ten Thousand Villages Renovation" project was awarded the Champion of the Earth award, the UN's highest environmental honor.
To learn from "Thousand Villages Demonstration and Ten Thousand Villages Renovation" project, Han stressed the key is to find the right entry point and breakthrough from the actual situation.
Noting China's rural situation differs due to diverse natural conditions, local customs and practices, and the level of development, Han said learning the project's experience should avoid a one-size-fits-all approach.
He called for adopting a fact-based approach, addressing issues that the rural people are strongly concerned about to improve their sense of gain, happiness, and security.
Zhu Weidong, deputy director of the Office of the Central Financial and Economic Affairs Commission and deputy director of the Office of the Central Rural Work Leading Group, attends a press conference in Beijing on February 4, 2024. /Chinese State Council Information Office
Deepening rural reform
At the press conference, Zhu Weidong, deputy director of the Office of the Central Financial and Economic Affairs Commission and deputy director of the Office of the Central Rural Work Leading Group, introduced the document's deployments on deepening rural reform.
Zhu said the "No. 1 central document" for 2024 highlighted the efforts to consolidate and improve the basic rural management system.
As China vowed to implement the policy of extending second round rural land contracts by another 30 years upon their expiration, Zhu said this year the country will carry out pilot projects in some province to explore specific implementation methods, laying a good foundation for the whole country to implement the land policy.
He said the document called for deepening reform of the collective property rights system, adding that under the premise of strict risk control, efforts should be focused on exploring diversified means to promote various models, including the rental of property, the intermediary services, and the share participation of assets and develop new collective economies in rural areas
Deepening rural reform should uphold fundamental principles and break new ground, Zhu noted. "Rural reform has entered a deep-water zone, involving hundreds of millions of farmers' vital interests. We must adhere to the bottom line of rural reform."