China to release national rural vitalization strategic program

China will release a national rural vitalization strategic program (2018-2022) to implement policies under the "No. 1 central document" this year.

"The first draft of the program has been completed and submitted for approval," Wu Hongyao, deputy director of the Office of the Central Rural Work Leading Group, told a press briefing Monday.

Photo taken on Feb. 4, 2017 shows the rural scenery of Shihe Village of Dazhuang Township of Malong County, southwest China's Yunnan Province. [Photo: Xinhua]

"The program is dedicated to guiding local governments and related departments to promote rural vitalization in a practical and orderly manner," Wu said.

The program will outline work priorities and policies in implementing the rural vitalization strategy, clarify targets and tasks by 2020 and 2022, and specify major projects, plans and actions under the strategy.

The No. 1 central document is the name traditionally given to the first policy statement of the year released by the central authorities, and is seen as an indicator of policy priorities.

This year's No.1 document, released Sunday, has rural vitalization as its theme.

The strategy of rural vitalization was first proposed as one of the major aspects of developing a modern economy in a report delivered to the 19th National Congress of the CPC.

Pursuing rural vitalization is a "historic task" essential for accomplishing China's modernization goals and building a moderately prosperous society, the document said.

By vitalizing its vast rural regions, China expects to see a strong agricultural sector, a beautiful countryside and well-off farmers, according to the document.