In January 2025, China’s top leadership unveiled a new national strategy aimed at accelerating rural development and modernizing the agricultural sector. The 2024–2027 Rural Development Plan, issued jointly by the Central Committee of the Communist Party and the State Council, sets out to boost food production and strengthen food security, while also improving the prosperity and quality of life in rural communities. To achieve this, the plan targets persistent gaps in income, infrastructure, and access to services between rural and urban areas.
This policy is part of a broader long-term agenda to rebalance regional development. The government aims to achieve visible progress by 2027 and to complete the transformation into a modern rural economy by 2035.
Priority areas
1. Food security and agricultural resilience
China aims to ensure stable food supplies by protecting farmland from being repurposed, supporting key crop sectors (such as grain, oilseeds, and sugar), and improving early warning and storage systems. The plan encourages a more balanced mix of agriculture, livestock, aquaculture, and forestry to reduce risks and improve self-sufficiency.
2. Modern infrastructure for rural areas
Upgrades to rural infrastructure are a central feature of the plan. This includes high-quality farmland, efficient irrigation systems, greenhouse and facility farming, and disaster prevention. As of late 2024, over 1 billion mu (about 67 million hectares) of high-standard farmland had been completed, with productivity gains of around 10%.
3. Innovation and smart technologies
China plans to invest in agricultural innovation, with a focus on breeding better crop varieties, developing advanced machinery, and using digital tools for precision farming. Seed R&D and agricultural tech companies are receiving targeted support to boost their competitiveness.
4. Economic diversification in the countryside
The plan encourages local governments to build more resilient rural economies by promoting regional specialties, food processing, eco-tourism, and rural e-commerce. Policies will support small and medium-sized enterprises in rural areas and provide training for returnee entrepreneurs and farmers. The goal is to increase rural incomes, which in 2024 remained less than half of those in urban areas.
5. Improving basic services and reducing the urban-rural divide
China intends to expand access to education, healthcare, housing, and legal services in rural areas. The plan includes steps to reform household registration systems and make it easier for rural migrants to settle permanently in cities, while improving quality of life in the countryside. The plan also emphasizes safeguarding the rights of rural residents who move to cities – specifically land contracting rights, homestead usage, and collective income entitlements.
6. Workforce development and skills training
A major emphasis is placed on building human capital. China is rolling out vocational training programs and leadership development for young farmers, veterans, and skilled professionals returning to their hometowns. Education institutions and agricultural extension systems are being expanded to support this effort.
7. Strengthening rural culture and community life
The plan also aims to improve social cohesion in rural communities by promoting public education, local traditions, responsible governance, and environmental awareness. Community-building and civic engagement are being encouraged to create more vibrant rural societies.
Goals for 2027 and 2035
By 2027, the government expects to see measurable progress in rural infrastructure, incomes, and services. Looking ahead to 2035, the goal is to complete the transition to a modern rural economy, close urban-rural gaps, and ensure that rural residents enjoy comparable living standards to their urban counterparts.
Significance of the plan
The plan builds on earlier poverty alleviation efforts and paves the way for a more integrated and sustainable rural development model. It also contributes to China’s broader goals of green development and digital transformation, promoting circular agriculture, low-carbon farming, and expanded digital public services.
International cooperation is explicitly encouraged—particularly in areas such as sustainable agriculture, rural services, and agri-tech innovation. The plan creates new opportunities for international partners, including foreign companies, research institutions, and development organizations active in rural development.
For decades, China’s development strategy focused heavily on urban centers, channeling the majority of public investment into cities as the main engines of growth. This long-standing urban bias is now beginning to shift. In recent years, rural areas have gained renewed importance—as key to expanding domestic demand, maintaining food security, and ensuring social stability.
“Rural revitalization” has become a flagship policy for rebalancing national development. With an estimated 477 million people—nearly one-third of China’s population—still living in rural areas as of 2023, the government sees rural development as essential to achieving more inclusive and balanced national growth.
Sources
State Council of the People’s Republic of China. (2025, January 22). 乡村全面振兴规划（2024–2027年） [Plan for comprehensive rural revitalization (2024–2027)]. Xinhua News Agency. Retrieved from https://www.gov.cn/zhengce/202501/content_7000493.htm
Huld, A. (2025, February 6). Understanding China’s 2027 rural revitalization plan. China Briefing. Retrieved from https://www.china-briefing.com/news/rural-revitalization-in-china-2027-plan/
