Daily Times

BEIJING: China unveiled its “No. 1 central document” for 2023 on Monday, outlining nine tasks in comprehensively promoting rural revitalization this year.

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

Work on agriculture and rural areas has been high on the agenda for 20 consecutive years since 2004.

The document put emphasis on ensuring food security does not fall below baselines and ensuring there is no large-scale return to poverty.

China has eradicated extreme poverty as planned in 2020, 10 years ahead of the schedule set in the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

It also called for the pushing through key tasks including rural development, rural construction, rural governance, as well as speeding up the construction of a strong agricultural country.

China’s grain output has remained above 650 million tonnes for eight consecutive years by 2022, while per-capita disposable income of rural residents reached 20,133 yuan ($2,968) for the year, up by 4.2 percent in real terms, official data showed.