China outlines plans for agricultural modernization, rural vitalization

BEIJING -- China unveiled its "No 1 central document" for 2026 on Tuesday, outlining plans to advance agricultural and rural modernization and to promote all-around rural vitalization.

As the first policy statement released by China's central authorities each year, the document is seen as an indicator of policy priorities.

The document called for efforts to shore up weak links in agriculture and rural areas, and secure faster progress in building up China's strength in agriculture over the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-30).

The country must give top priority to the issues related to agriculture, rural areas, and rural residents, promote integrated urban-rural development, and ensure that policies aimed at strengthening agriculture, benefiting farmers, and enriching rural areas deliver greater outcomes, according to the document.

It is imperative to safeguard national food security, continue to consolidate and expand the achievements in poverty alleviation, strive to build agriculture into a modern pillar sector, basically ensure modern living conditions in rural areas, and enable farmers to enjoy more prosperous and better lives, the document said.