China maps out key tasks in digitalizing countryside

BEIJING -- Chinese authorities have jointly released a guideline laying out 28 key tasks for building a digital countryside in 2024.

It stresses using information technology to drive the modernization of agriculture and rural areas, and highlights promoting high-quality and efficient agriculture, making rural areas more livable with better working conditions, and enhancing farmers' living standards.

Divided into nine parts, the key tasks focus on specific areas such as facilitating smart agriculture, stimulating the vitality of digital economy in counties, vitalizing digital culture in rural areas, and improving the digital governance system in rural areas.

A series of targets are also set forth in the document. By the end of 2024, the number of rural broadband users will exceed 200 million, internet coverage in rural areas will rise by 2 percentage points, and the online retail sales of agricultural products through e-commerce platforms will surpass 630 billion yuan ($88.67 billion).

The document was jointly issued by the Cyberspace Administration of China, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, the National Development and Reform Commission, and the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.