Speakers:
Tang Renjian, director of the Office of the Central Leading Group for Rural Affairs, and minister of agriculture and rural affairs
Zhang Taolin, vice minister of agriculture and rural affairs
Wu Hongyao, a member of the CPC Leading Group of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA) and director of the Secretariat of the Office of the Central Rural Work Leading Group
Chairperson:
Chen Wenjun, head of the Press Bureau of the State Council Information Office (SCIO) and spokesperson of the SCIO
Date:
Feb. 22, 2021
Chen Wenjun:
Ladies and gentlemen, good morning! The Opinion of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council on Advancing Rural Vitalization Across the Board and Accelerating Agricultural and Rural Modernization, or the "No. 1 Central Document," was released recently. To help people more accurately understand this important document, today we have invited Mr. Tang Renjian, director of the Office of the Central Leading Group for Rural Affairs and minister of agriculture and rural affairs, to brief you and answer your questions. We also have with us Zhang Taolin, vice minister of agriculture and rural affairs, and Wu Hongyao, a member of the CPC Leading Group of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA) and director of the Secretariat of the Office of the Central Rural Work Leading Group.
Next, I will give the floor to Mr. Tang.
Tang Renjian:
Ladies and gentlemen, good morning! As the Spring Festival has recently concluded and farm work resumes, Xinhua News Agency yesterday released the Opinion of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council on Advancing Rural Vitalization Across the Board and Accelerating Agricultural and Rural Modernization, or the "No. 1 Central Document" in 2021. This has been the 18th No. 1 Central Document released by the CPC Central Committee in succession since the beginning of the new century, sending Spring Festival "policy" gifts for the Year of the Ox to the vast rural population. It is my pleasure to briefly introduce the document to you all.
I. Background
Under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, China overcame tough challenges caused by COVID-19 and maintained the momentum of steady and sound agricultural and rural development in 2020. This has contributed to the accomplishment of all the goals set in the 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-2020). In particular, substantial progress was made in the following aspects. First, agricultural production capacity increased to a new level. Last year was the sixth consecutive year that national grain output exceeded 650 million metric tons; the science and technology contribution to agricultural growth surpassed 60%; improved varieties were used in the production of nearly all major crops; 71% of plowing, sowing and harvesting were mechanized; and the amount of agrochemicals applied declined for four years in a row. Second, a decisive victory was won in the battle against poverty. All people classed as impoverished by current standards were lifted out of poverty, and the 832 poor counties were removed from the national list. As a result, China has successfully eradicated absolute poverty and region-wide poverty, creating a miracle in the history of poverty reduction. Third, the income of rural residents registered continuous and rapid growth. The income of rural residents has grown faster than urban residents for 11 successive years. The urban-rural income gap narrowed from 2.64:1 in 2019 to 2.56:1 in 2020. The per capita income of rural residents doubled that of 2010 one year ahead of schedule. Fourth, rural areas took on a fresh look. Rural living conditions improved significantly, while weak areas such as infrastructure and public services were strengthened at a faster pace. With rural reforms gaining momentum, more vigorous drivers have been forged for rural development. New and historic achievements in agriculture and rural areas have laid a solid foundation for completing the task of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects as scheduled.
Riding on the momentum of earlier success, we have entered the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025), which marks the first five years on a new journey toward the second centenary goal of fully building a modern socialist China. The 5th Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee also made strategic arrangements for prioritizing agricultural and rural development and advancing rural vitalization. While addressing the Central Rural Work Conference at the end of last year, General Secretary Xi Jinping sent a clear signal to all CPC members and the whole of society: Along the new journey, work related to agriculture, rural areas and farmers ("sannong" work) remains a crucial matter that cannot be neglected and requires hard work. Taking into account both domestic and international dynamics, General Secretary Xi pointed out that national rejuvenation calls for rural vitalization, and keeping "sannong" fundamentals stable will anchor efforts to address changes in a new landscape. He stressed that, in our endeavor to fully build a modern socialist China and to realize national rejuvenation, rural areas hold the most challenging and arduous tasks, but also the most formidable and broad-based strength to tap into. Such important remarks have identified the path which should be taken and the principles to follow while drafting the No. 1 Central Document and continuing with "sannong" work in the new development stage.
