Box 9: Major Measures to Modernize Agriculture and Rural Areas

Modernization of Agriculture	Ÿ Strengthen research into and the collection of germplasm resources, build germplasm banks, and launch agricultural bio-breeding projects to tackle the bottleneck problems regarding the source of seeds Ÿ Implement a new program for the raising of better quality livestock and poultry varieties along with the initiative to upgrade the modern seed industry Ÿ Ensure that China’s arable land area does not fall below the redline of 120 million hectares, prohibit the use of farmland for non-agriculture purposes, and prevent farmland from being used for purposes other than growing food crops Ÿ Establish an order of priority for the use of farmland Ÿ Strengthen and improve measures for offsetting cultivated land used for construction purposes Ÿ Develop a standardized modern agricultural industry chain and a modern rural industrial system
Rural Development	Ÿ Accelerate village planning, complete the drafting of county-level territorial space plans by the end of 2021, and define the layout of villages of different types Ÿ Continue to prioritize public infrastructure in rural areas Ÿ Carry out projects for ensuring rural residents’ access to safe drinking water Ÿ Ensure that rural roads are well built, managed, maintained, and operated, develop models of urban-rural integrated transportation, and carry out projects to upgrade village facilities for comprehensive service provision Ÿ Conduct rural housing trials, promote the use of green building materials, steel understructure housing, and prefabricated modules, and install modern facilities such as sanitary toilet facilities Ÿ Launch a five-year campaign to improve rural living environments Ÿ Strengthen coordination regarding the provision of basic public services at the county-, township- and village-levels, and gradually bring such services under unified standards and institutions
Rural Reform	Ÿ Conduct trials regarding the policy of extending rural land contracts for another 30 years when the second round of contracts expire Ÿ Explore market-based transfers for rural collective land designated for business-related use Ÿ Give priority to rural business and rural construction in terms of land use Ÿ Advance the trial reform of the system of rural residential land in a steady and prudent way, and conduct procedure-based registration and certification of integrated housing ownership and land-use rights for rural housing land Ÿ Ensure that the reform of the rural collective property rights system is essentially completed this year Ÿ Further the comprehensive reform of the pricing of water used in agriculture
Rural Governance	Ÿ Accelerate the creation of a rural governance system under the leadership of Party organizations, introduce new methods, and improve rural management Ÿ Advance the Peaceful Countryside initiative and put in place a robust mechanism for rooting out organized crime and local mafia Ÿ Ensure further cultural and ethical advancement in rural areas in the new era, and both preserve and innovatively develop excellent traditional local culture Ÿ Continue with efforts to transform outdated social practices

 

7. Promoting coordinated regional development and optimizing China’s use of territorial space and relevant supporting systems

We will promote the new urbanization strategy, pursue major regional strategies along with the strategy for coordinated regional development and the functional zoning strategy, improve systems for coordinated development of regions, and work hard to foster new drivers of growth for the country’s high-quality development.

1) We will promote the high-quality development of new urbanization.

We will formulate the National New Urbanization Plan (2021-2035). We will deepen reform of the household registration system; refine policies for linking the transfer payments received by local governments and increases in the amount of land designated for urban development to the number of people from rural areas now holding urban residency in their jurisdiction; lawfully safeguard the rights and interests that these people have in rural areas; and improve the basic public services they receive in cities, including government-subsidized housing, vocational skill training, and compulsory education of their children.

We will establish sound mechanisms for the planning and integrated development of city clusters. We will speed up the construction of rail transit networks in major metropolitan areas. In promoting the development of city clusters and metropolitan areas, we will fully leverage the driving role of major cities. We will strengthen risk prevention and control in the management of large and mega cities, and enhance the functions of medium and large cities. We will encourage county towns to shore up weaknesses and to strengthen their ability to offer comprehensive services. We will also promote the regulated and healthy development of towns with distinctive features. We will launch urban renewal projects in light of local conditions and promote the renovation of old urban residential communities, dilapidated factory buildings, old streets, and villages in cities, beginning the renovation of 53,000 old urban residential communities.

We will launch pilot and demonstration initiatives to promote urban modernization, and push forward the structural optimization of cities as well as improvements in functions and overall quality. We will step up efforts to develop cities that are green and pleasant to live in, that are both smart and resilient, and that have a vibrant cultural environment. We will press ahead with projects for ecological restoration in cities and for improvements in urban functions, strengthen protection of historical and cultural heritage sites, shape urban landscapes, and improve community management and services. We will support the development of “sponge cities” in areas where conditions allow. We will work to ensure sounder, smarter, and more refined urban governance. We will improve the institutions and mechanisms for promoting integrated urban-rural development, and support pioneering reforms of pilot zones for integrated urban-rural development.

2) We will proceed with the implementation of major regional strategies.

We will coordinate the implementation of major regional strategies under the guidance of the scheme for implementing the 14th Five-Year Plan.

We will continue with the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. We will improve policies for relieving Beijing of functions nonessential to its role as the capital, develop Xiongan New Area to a high standard, ensure the high-quality development of the administrative center of Beijing Municipality, carry out the plan for the high-quality development of the Binhai New Area in Tianjin, and implement more key projects, reforms, and policies for coordinated development.

We will advance the high-quality development of the Yangtze Economic Belt. We will strengthen comprehensive, systemic, and source-targeted environmental governance, and implement the “4+1” project for curbing pollution from the chemicals industry, ships, agricultural non-point sources, and tailing sites and for treating urban sewage and waste. With regard to our conservation and biodiversity protection endeavors on the Yangtze River, we will launch more protection projects and build on the results achieved in implementing fishing bans and in helping people employed in the fishing business find other employment. We will develop demonstration centers for realizing the value of eco-products, and step up efforts to improve the integrated transportation system in the Yangtze Economic Belt.

We will move forward with the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. In working to develop this region into an international science and technology innovation center, we will improve its spatial layout, with a focus on the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong and the Guangzhou-Zhuhai-Macao corridors and on Hetao and Hengqin, and facilitate the effective, free flow of factors of production. We will continue the comprehensive pilot reform of making Shenzhen a pioneering demonstration zone for socialism with Chinese characteristics, and advance the development of the Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone, the Hengqin Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone, and the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Cooperation Zone for Science and Technology Innovation.

We will promote the integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta region. We will formulate guidelines for making the Pudong New Area a leading area in socialist modernization through high-standard reform and opening up, and support Pudong in piloting comprehensive reforms. We will encourage the construction of new types of infrastructure in this region, and review and promote this region’s institutional innovation experiences in promoting integrated and eco-friendly development. We will adopt a holistic approach to the planning, construction, and development of the China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone Lin’gang New Area.

We will promote the ecological protection and high-quality development of the Yellow River Basin, and speed up the formulation of a “1+N+X” framework of plans and policies for this purpose.