Preface

China's non-profit making rural roads constitute the most extensive component of transport infrastructure and serve a significant majority of the population. They are the primary, if not the sole transport channel in rural areas, and play a critical role in assisting the rural population in their travels, improving their wellbeing and living environment, and advancing the modernization of agriculture and rural areas. 

This year marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China (PRC). China is a vast country with diverse terrains and a large population; its natural conditions, resources and development levels vary considerably across regions. The Communist Party of China (CPC) has united and led the Chinese people in starting from scratch to build accessible, and ultimately good-quality rural roads through immense hard work. Throughout this process, the government has played a leading role while prioritizing the wellbeing of the people and implementing reform and innovative measures that consider local conditions, effectively addressing transport bottlenecks that had impeded China's economic and social growth. 

The development of rural roads in China has entered a new stage since the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012. Guided by President Xi Jinping's instructions to further strengthen the construction, management, maintenance and operation of roads in rural areas, China has continued to drive high-quality development of rural roads through institutional innovation, better policies, systematic planning and targeted policy implementation. This has led to significant improvements in the coverage, accessibility, maintenance, services, safety, and resilience of rural roads. While broad highways connect mountains and rivers over this vast land, rural roads buttress common people's dream of prosperity. China has explored an approach to developing rural roads in light of its realities, contributing Chinese wisdom and solutions to global poverty reduction.

The Chinese government is publishing this white paper to introduce the achievements and vision of rural road development in the new era and to share China's experience.