Chinese vice premier calls for advancing rural revitalization

WUHAN, Sept. 23 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice Premier Liu Guozhong has called for mobilizing efforts across society to build a beautiful and harmonious countryside for people to live and work in and steadily advance rural revitalization.

Harvesters work in a rice field of a farm under Beidahuang Group in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Sept. 20, 2026. (Photo: Xinhua)

Liu, who is also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, visited central China's Hubei Province from Monday to Wednesday, and attended a national event in celebration of the ninth Chinese farmers' harvest festival.

In Xiangyang's Xiangzhou and Zaoyang, Liu inspected autumn grain production, agricultural machinery services and rural environmental improvement, and joined farmers in celebrating the harvest festival.

This year, China has overcome adverse factors, including natural disasters, to achieve a record summer grain harvest, maintain stable early rice output, and put the autumn grain harvest on track for a bumper crop, he noted.

Liu called for strengthening late-season management of autumn grain crops and disaster prevention and reduction, and ensuring well-organized harvesting and grain purchases. He also urged efforts to develop high-standard farmland, develop distinctive rural industries, and expand channels for farmers to increase their incomes.

In Shiyan's Danjiangkou, Liu inspected water source protection and water diversion projects. He called for stronger water source protection, safe project operation and reliable water quality, along with strict controls on construction quality and production safety, stronger oversight of funds, and faster development of a modern water network.

The Chinese farmers' harvest festival is the first national festival created specifically for the country's farmers. Launched in 2018, the festival coincides with the Autumnal Equinox each year, which is one of the 24 solar terms of the Chinese lunisolar calendar and usually falls between Sept. 22 and 24, during the country's agricultural harvest season.