Interpreting China’s 2019 Central No. 1 Document
The 2018 Central No. 1 Document centered on deploying the rural revitalization strategy and set the tone for key rural work in the coming years. The 2019 Central No. 1 Document lays out eight priority areas for the development of agriculture, rural areas, and farmers (the “three rurals”).
Rural development is crucial to achieving a moderately prosperous society in all respects. Whether a society is truly moderately prosperous ultimately depends on rural residents — most critically, on whether poor rural populations can be lifted out of poverty, whether poor counties can cast off that label, whether deeply impoverished areas can get onto a sustainable development track, and whether poverty induced by illness or disability can be curbed. Accordingly, the first section of the 2019 document calls for targeted policies and a decisive victory in the fight against poverty. Poverty alleviation is not a short, one‑off campaign; it is a long‑term, priority task, and strategic thinking for the post‑2020 period should start early. Rural revitalization is both the continuation and safeguard of targeted poverty alleviation. Only by forming a new rural pattern of “thriving industries, livable ecology, civilized rural customs, effective governance, and prosperous lives” can we fundamentally transform the countryside.
Agriculture is the bedrock of food, clothing, shelter, and transportation for the entire nation. From grain and oil to textiles, furniture, and rubber — everyday life is inseparable from agriculture. Yet industrialization and urbanization continue to encroach on and pollute a shrinking base of arable land, while manufacturing competes with agriculture for labor, worsening land abandonment. Backward cultivation techniques and high production costs leave domestic agricultural products less competitive than international counterparts. Consolidating the agricultural foundation, ensuring effective supplies of key agricultural products, and stabilizing basic household needs are the top priorities for the “three rurals.”
Rural out‑migration is a normal social trend, but net outflows must not become an excuse to ignore improvements to the rural living environment. Only by improving roads, water, electricity, gas, internet, toilets, waste handling, and logistics can we enable those who wish to stay to settle with confidence, and make newcomers want to remain. A beautiful and livable environment is the essential foundation for rural vitality and development.
Rural industries are more than just planting and animal husbandry. They also include agricultural processing, consumer goods manufacturing, and leisure tourism. By establishing benefit‑sharing mechanisms that integrate primary, secondary, and tertiary sectors, and by expanding and strengthening rural industries, farmers can share more of the value created along the chain.
For a long time, rural collectives and individuals have possessed “resources” but lacked “assets.” Maintaining stable and long‑term rural land contracting relationships; allowing the management rights of contracted farmland to be used as collateral for financing; permitting collectively owned construction land to enter the market; and guiding rural commercial banks, cooperative banks, and credit unions to serve local agriculture, rural areas, and farmers — these are key to activating rural assets and boosting farmers’ sense of gain.
Agriculture’s fundamental role has become a major bargaining chip in great‑power trade disputes. To align China’s agriculture with international norms, we should, under the principles of complying with WTO rules, protecting farmers’ interests, and supporting agricultural development, swiftly study and refine policy opinions on improving agricultural support and protection. This includes adjusting and improving “amber box” measures and expanding the scope of “green box” policies.
Published at: Feb 20, 2019 · Modified at: Oct 26, 2025
