China outlines key tasks to deepen rural reforms, advance rural revitalization

China unveiled its "No. 1 Central Document" for 2025 on Sunday, outlining the priorities for further deepening rural reforms and taking solid steps in advancing all-around rural revitalization.

As the first policy statement released by China's central authorities each year, the document is seen as an indicator of policy priorities.

The document called for enhanced efforts in the work related to agriculture, rural areas and farmers in 2025 and beyond, with a target of advancing all-around rural revitalization and further consolidating the country's agricultural foundation.

With reform and opening-up, as well as scientific and technological innovation as the driving force, the country will safeguard the grain security and ensure that no large-scale lapsing or relapsing into poverty occurs, the document said.

China will make every effort to enhance agricultural efficiency, invigorate rural areas, increase farmers' income, thereby laying a solid foundation for advancing Chinese modernization, the document emphasized.

Food security prioritized

The document has outlined the efforts to continuously enhance the supply capacity of key agricultural products like grain, consolidate and expand the achievements of poverty alleviation, strengthen the wealth-creating industries for farmers in counties, promote rural construction, improve the rural governance system, and optimize the allocation of resources.

In the "No. 1 Central Document," safeguarding food security and the stable supply of key agricultural products is placed as the top priority for national security, which sends a significant signal, said Jin Wencheng, director of the Research Center for Rural Economy under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs.

This year's "No. 1 Central Document" also highlights this aspect by dedicating about one-third of its content to nine key areas, systematically planning and arranging for the consolidation and development of the food security policy, Jin told China Media Group (CMG).

New quality productive forces in agriculture

The document has also stressed the importance of promoting collaborative agricultural scientific and technological research.

Through technological innovation, new quality productive forces will be developed and applied in agriculture according to local conditions, according to the document.

This marks the first time of the "No. 1 Central Document" introducing the concept of "new quality productive forces" in agriculture.

Jin said the concept of new quality productive forces in agriculture is all-encompassing, which includes technologies like biological breeding, drones, artificial intelligence, and digital technologies.

These applications can effectively change the state of agricultural production and development, significantly accelerating the modernization of agriculture, he noted.

Additionally, efforts should be made to build an agricultural technology innovation system, enhance the ability of technological innovation, and create independent innovation platforms, Jin added.

These platforms will drive the development of new quality productive forces, propelling the modernization of agriculture and rural areas on the wings of technology, he told CMG.