Rural vitalization an ongoing process

A report delivered at the meeting by the National Development and Reform Commission, the top economic regulator, said that 98.99 million rural residents had been pulled out of poverty since late 2012.

The commission will consolidate these achievements. It will also prioritize the development of agriculture and rural areas, and push for agricultural and rural modernization, the report said.

Tang Renjian, minister of agriculture and rural affairs, said on the sidelines of the legislative session that China has succeeded in poverty eradication after eight years of effort, and infrastructure in rural areas has significantly improved.

However, Tang said many of the achievements have only been at the village level, and shortfalls remain in work at the household level.

"We will extend better infrastructure in terms of water, electricity, roads, gas and housing to each village and household," he added.

The main roads in villages have to be built to facilitate agricultural life and production and further boost local businesses and tourism. Local governments will improve storage facilities and cold chain logistics to facilitate the circulation of agricultural products, Tang said.

Meanwhile, public services such as access to education, healthcare, and elder care will be further enhanced in villages, he said.

Finance Minister Liu Kun said that his ministry will set up special funds and subsidies totaling 156.1 billion yuan ($24.1 billion) this year, a year-on-year increase of 10 billion yuan, to ensure the five-year transition toward rural vitalization.