On February 5, 2020, China released No.1 Central Document, defining two essential tasks for the year: winning the battle against poverty and addressing prominent problems related to agriculture, rural areas and farmers that will have an adverse impact on the achievement of moderate prosperity in all respects.
In order to win the battle against poverty, efforts will be made to:
·Complete the task of poverty alleviation. With a focus on ensuring universal access to compulsory education, basic medical services, and safe housing and drinking water on the basis of guaranteed food and clothes, action will be taken to ensure all remaining poor people are lifted out of poverty as scheduled;
·Consolidate poverty eradication outcomes and prevent people from falling back into poverty. A follow-up check needs to be made of the people who have been lifted out of poverty, to identify risks and gaps, track changes in the list of households with a high risk of slipping back into poverty as well as those living on the verge of poverty, so as to provide timely assistance for those relapsing into poverty and new cases of poverty.
·Do a good job in evaluation, verification and communication. The criteria and procedures for poverty exit need to be complied with, and deception and manipulation of figures are strictly prohibited. Communication needs to be improved to tell genuine and engaging stories about China's fight against poverty.
·Continue to promote poverty reduction. A long-term mechanism needs to be established to address relative poverty, and efforts made in this regard shall be integrated into the rural revitalization strategy.
The following measures need to be taken to address prominent problems related to agriculture, rural areas and farmers.
First, addressing the gaps in rural infrastructure and public service that occur on the way towards moderate prosperity in all respects. Strengthened efforts need to be made in rural areas to ensure improvements in such areas as public infrastructure, water supply, the living environment, education, primary-level medical services, social security, and public cultural services, and to address prominent ecological and environmental problems.
Second, ensuring the effective supply of important agricultural products and promoting continuous increases in farmers' income. Efforts will be made to keep grain output stable, accelerate the recovery of hog production, strengthen the construction of modern agricultural facilities, develop rural industries that generate more income for local people, and stabilize the employment of migrant workers.
Third, strengthening rural primary-level governance.
Fourth, strengthening the measures to address inadequacies in rural areas.A high priority needs to be given to the investment in programs related to agriculture, rural areas and farmers. Efforts need to be made to resolve the problem of land use for rural development, attract more qualified personnel to the countryside, strengthen the role of science and technology, and press ahead with key rural reform tasks.
