Hu Kaihong:
Thanks to Mr. Han for his introduction. Now, the floor is open to questions. Please identify your media organization before asking questions.
CCTV:
As just mentioned, this year's "No. 1 Central Document" focuses on the implementation of tough tasks. Can you introduce what tough tasks mean and to what they specifically refer? Thank you.
Han Changfu:
This is a good question going to the heart of the document. By 2020, we will achieve our first centenary goal and complete the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects. These are solemn commitments made by our Party to the entire population, and are tough tasks that we must accomplish within that timeframe as well. Therefore, this year's "No. 1 Central Document" focuses on the arrangements for handling these tough tasks.
In detail, the first tough task is to win the battle against poverty, which is the most important and urgent task in building a moderately prosperous society in all respects. In this year's document, it occupies a very prominent position. We should focus on solving existing gaps in providing adequate food and clothing for poverty-stricken people and ensuring their access to compulsory education, basic medical services and housing. Secondly, we need to step up efforts to lift people out of poverty in areas suffering from this in a deep-rooted way, which is a very tough nut to crack. Thirdly, we are determined to prevent people from falling back into poverty, and connect our poverty alleviation work with the revitalization of rural areas. It is of the greatest importance to alleviate poverty through promoting industrial growth that can provide job opportunities and broaden the available channels for increased levels of income, and also directly and effectively link the poverty alleviation work with rural revitalization. Thus, promoting industrial growth in the countryside is an important measure in overall poverty alleviation.
Second, we will further promote grain production. This is always a top priority and the primary task in regard to agriculture and rural affairs. Sufficient food supply may serve as the ballast stone to cope with mounting economic downward pressure and increasing uncertainties and risks. This year's "No. 1 Central Document" specially emphasizes strengthening agriculture and promoting food production. The detailed requirements include maintaining the policies and measures that support grain production, ensuring a sown area of 1.65 billion mu (110 million hectares) for grain, and so maintaining stable grain output. We must ensure China's arable land area remains above the red line of 1.8 billion mu. We need to comprehensively implement the policies providing special protection for the designated permanent basic cropland, and continuously increase the grain production capacity. Moreover, the document stresses the goal of developing 800 million mu of high-standard farmland. This means that grain production continues to be regarded as a tough task.
Third, we will increase the income of farmers. By 2020, the annual per capita income of rural residents must be double that of 2010. That is one of the indexes signaling completion of the work for building a moderately prosperous society in all respects. In recent years, the income of rural residents has been growing rapidly, and actually at a faster rate than that of urban residents for nine consecutive years. We must keep the trend of increasing income for rural residents in the coming two years. The document lays out detailed arrangements to foster the development of rural industries and diversify channels to increase the income of farmers.
Fourth, we will improve rural living environment. This is one of the key tasks during implementation of the rural vitalization strategy. We will do a good job in carrying out the Three-Year Action Plan for Improving Rural Living Environment so that the rural living environment can be markedly improved by the end of 2020. In this regard, we will thoroughly learn from Zhejiang that has done a good job in its village environment demonstration and improvement initiative. This focuses on waste and sewage treatment, a toilet revolution and a village facelift. Since villages across China differ in many ways, our efforts will proceed from reality and adapt to local conditions, and our guidance should be differentiated. We also have to carry out the task gradually and don't go beyond our abilities. We will ensure our efforts not only match the level of local economic development, but are also in line with local culture and customs.
Fifth, it is necessary to shore up the weakness in rural infrastructure and public services. Backward infrastructure and public services constitute the most visible sign of the urban-rural gap, and also one of the livelihood issues about which rural people most strongly complain. Therefore, in order to improve lives in the countryside, we should address the weakness as soon as possible. To this end, the document includes a village infrastructure development project expected to improve infrastructure in areas like drinking water, roads, power supply, housing, logistics and a modern information network. We will provide better public services such as education, medical care, sanitation, social security, culture and sport. We will strengthen pollution treatment and ecological conservation and promote green agricultural and rural development with a view to making China's villages highly livable, with picturesque scenery, blue skies and green spaces.
We also have tough tasks in other aspects that require more awareness of deadlines, better planning and coordination, detailed measures, and a strictly-observed accountability system for people at different levels, to ensure fulfillment on time and with the desired results.
I should say there are many tasks concerning agriculture, rural areas and rural people, but these are the critical ones. In light of China's goal to complete the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects, poverty alleviation is the most important element. It must be fully accomplished on time and with the desired results. Food security is our primary task, and we will guard the bottom line of keeping grain production from falling. The rural vitalization strategy is the overarching scheme under which we will keep on going in an all-round way with unremitting efforts. I think these are all things we will do vigorously and fulfill comprehensively this year and next. Thank you.
