Commentary: Rural vitalization high on China's 2023 agenda

BEIJING, Feb. 15 (Xinhua) -- China has made it a strategic plan to advance rural vitalization across the board and accelerate the building of strong agriculture, with a view to building China into a great modern socialist country in all respects.

The plan's importance was reiterated in the "No. 1 central document" for 2023, which was unveiled on Monday, outlining nine tasks in comprehensively promoting rural vitalization this year.

As the first policy statement released by China's central authorities each year, the document is seen as an indicator of policy priorities. Work on agriculture, rural areas, and farmers has been high on the agenda of the central authorities.

This year's document called for efforts to ensure a stable and secure supply of grain and important agricultural products, advance agricultural infrastructure construction, strengthen support for agricultural science, technology and equipment, consolidate and expand poverty-alleviation achievements, and broaden channels for farmers to increase incomes, among others.

The document noted that the annual grain output must remain above 650 billion kg. Actually, the country has secured a bumper harvest for the 19th year in a row, with its grain output at about 686.5 billion kg in 2022, up 0.5 percent from 2021. The fact of China being able to feed its own population is a great contribution to global food security.

Maintaining the good momentum in grain output and accelerating efforts to modernize agriculture and rural areas will lay a solid foundation for the overall performance of the national economy and contribute to the national security.

The document noted that the most arduous task of building a modern socialist country in all respects still lies in the countryside. Prioritizing agricultural and rural development and strengthening technological and policy support for rural vitalization will surely contribute to the nation's modernization drive.