September 22 is the seventh Chinese Farmers' Harvest Festival this year. Regions across the country have held activities to celebrate the harvest in recent days.

In Weihai, a city in east China's Shandong Province, the main event kicked off in Wenquan Town. The celebration started with the booming rhythm of fishermen's work songs, setting the stage for vibrant performances by representatives from Shandong's 16 cities, including village songs, float parades and other exciting events. The venue also hosted a farmers' market featuring delights from all corners of the region.

In east China's Jiangsu Province, the festivities started two days earlier in Zhenjiang City. Visitors flocked to the buzzing agricultural market to buy grapes, tea pastries, beef jerky and flowers. Staff members enthusiastically introduced the unique flavors and benefits of their local specialties.

Down in Heshan City, south China's Guangdong Province, a grand fire dragon dance was held to celebrate the festival. Over 100 young performers paraded through the village, while everyone, young and old, joined in to pray for good weather and a plentiful harvest.

China set the autumnal equinox in the lunar calendar as the Chinese Farmers' Harvest Festival in 2018. It's the first national holiday dedicated to farmers. This year's celebrations aim to showcase rural vitality and agricultural achievements, invigorate urban and rural markets, and promote consumer spending, according to an official from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs.

Recent data from the National Bureau of Statistics shows that China's overall grain production capacity has steadily increased since 2012. In 2015, grain output surpassed 650 million tonnes, a milestone that has been consistently maintained for the past nine years. By 2023, China's per capita grain output reached 493 kilograms, a figure that has exceeded the global average for several consecutive years.

China's approach to grain production has also shifted from extensive, quantity-driven methods to a balanced focus on both quality and efficiency. By 2023, the country had developed over 66.7 million hectares of high-standard farmland. The overall mechanization rate for crop planting and harvesting across the nation now exceeds 73 percent. Wheat production has achieved near-total mechanization, and the mechanization rates for corn and rice planting and harvesting are over 80 percent.

Additionally, China continues to invest in agricultural infrastructure, including irrigation systems and disaster prevention measures, to ensure food security. At the same time, the country is advancing its agricultural technological innovations, significantly boosting productivity and efficiency in the sector.

Liu Shouying, dean of the School of Economics at Renmin University of China, emphasized that as Chinese modernization advances, there is an urgent need to accelerate the modernization of agriculture and rural areas. According to Liu, it's essential to increase urban integration for farmers, allowing those who move to cities equal access to employment opportunities and public services. Advancing the "One County, One Industry" initiative is also critical, said Liu. He explained that the policy encourages counties to develop large-scale leading industries based on their unique resources so that they can expand land management to establish integrated systems for processing, storage and research.

Liu also highlighted the importance of increasing the complexity of agricultural products and rural economic activities. He suggested enhancing the cultural value of agricultural products, diversifying them, and transforming traditional products into premium specialties to increase their market value.