BEIJING: Chinese President Xi Jinping has stressed the importance of advancing rural revitalization across the board and striving tirelessly for achieving agricultural and rural modernization.
Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks during his inspections to the city of Yan’an in northwest China’s Shaanxi Province and the city of Anyang in central China’s Henan Province, from Wednesday to Friday.
In his first inspection after the conclusion of the 20th National Congress of the CPC, Xi came to Yan’an and visited an apple farm in the Nangou Village on Wednesday afternoon.
Noting the great changes brought by agricultural modernization, he said more efforts are needed to prioritize the development of agricultural and rural areas, and consolidate and expand China’s achievements in poverty alleviation.
China eradicated absolute poverty and finished building a moderately prosperous society in all respects in 2021, thus completing the First Centenary Goal. Xi said the Party will do more to keep making people live an increasingly better life.
The Communist Party of China is a party of the people, a party that serves the people, he said.
Hard work urged
Xi called for the enterprising spirit of self-reliance and hard work when he visited the Hongqi Canal, or the Red Flag Canal, in Linzhou City of central China’s Henan Province on Friday morning.
The canal, a key irrigation project and major engineering feat of the 1960s, took local people almost 10 years to complete. It was built across the steep Taihang Mountain to bring water to the parched Linxian County, which is now known as Linzhou City.
The Red Flag Canal itself is a monument to the heroic spirit of the people of Linxian County who did not resign themselves to fate or give in to defeat, Xi said.
He urged the younger generation to carry forward the spirit and contribute to the realization of the Second Centenary Goal of building China into a great modern socialist country in all respects.
‘Cultural confidence’
During his inspection to the central Chinese city of Anyang, Xi also underscored the importance of building cultural confidence when he visited the Yin Ruins on Friday afternoon.
The ruins boast archaeological remnants of the ancient city of Yin, the last capital of the Shang Dynasty (1600-1046 B.C.). The oracle bone scripts discovered within the ruins are considered to be the oldest Chinese inscriptions.
In 1928, Chinese archaeologists discovered the complex of the ruins, which were added to the World Heritage List in 2006 by UNESCO.
Xi said fine traditional Chinese culture can be better preserved through excavation, studying and protection of cultural relics.
He called on the Chinese people to boost their confidence in Chinese culture and become more confident and proud.