On February 23, China unveiled its "No.1 Central Document" for 2025, marking the first policy statement issued by the country's central authorities this year. This document once again emphasizes the importance of agriculture, rural areas and rural residents, proposing comprehensive reforms to further deepen rural development and promote revitalization efforts across the board.

This is the 13th consecutive year that the No.1 Central Document has prioritized agriculture, rural areas and rural residents. This consistent focus highlights the central authorities' enduring commitment to advancing rural revitalization and underscores their determination to enhance agricultural development.

China's rural revitalization, a strategy introduced at the 19th Communist Party of China National Congress in 2017, aims to promote the economic prosperity and overall development of rural areas. It builds on the success of the nationwide poverty alleviation campaign that had eradicated absolute poverty as of late 2020.

While China has emerged as a global manufacturing powerhouse over the past few decades, its status as a major agricultural country remains unchanged. Thus, agricultural modernization is a top priority in China's broader modernization agenda. Focusing on agriculture and rural development is essential for ensuring food security in the country. Therefore, the No.1 Central Document must address these areas.

In the past year, despite facing serious natural disasters, China has managed to make strides in agriculture and rural development. 

Grain production reached a record high of 700 billion kg, and achievements in poverty eradication have been consolidated to prevent large-scale reversion into poverty.

Farmers' incomes have continued to grow rapidly, narrowing the income gap between urban and rural residents, while rural society has maintained stability and harmony. This steady progress in agriculture and rural areas has bolstered the country's confidence in managing risks and challenges, laying a solid foundation for high-quality economic and social development.

However, new trends and challenges have emerged and must be addressed effectively and strategically.

To tackle these issues, the document outlines goals for comprehensive rural revitalization and the advancement of agriculture, detailing initiatives for 2025 and beyond.

It emphasizes the need for ongoing efforts to enhance China's capacity to supply vital agricultural products, particularly grain, and to consolidate the gains achieved in poverty alleviation. The document further stresses the importance of strengthening local industries to increase rural residents' incomes, advancing rural construction, improving rural governance and optimizing the allocation of rural resources. These initiatives are pivotal for revitalizing rural areas and stimulating their development.

The document identifies food security as a fundamental objective, emphasizing the need to ensure national food security and sustainable grain production.

It proposes measures like strictly enforcing farmland protection policies and improving farmland quality assessment standards to enhance both the quality of farmland and grain production.

The document also stresses deepening rural reforms, proposing measures such as extending rural land contracts and allowing flexible use of homesteads to optimize resource allocation, invigorate rural development and promote urban-rural integration.

Facing a world characterized by uncertainties in international food supply chains and the challenges posed by extreme weather events, as well as resource and environmental constraints within China, the No.1 Central Document aims to enhance the agricultural sector's resilience and ensure stable agricultural development. This is of great importance not only for China but also for the international community. BR

Copyedited by Elsbeth van Paridon

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