The National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) held its 36th briefing on issues of major concern in Beijing on July 8, focusing on promoting the provision of modern living conditions in rural areas. Hu Chunhua and Qin Boyong, vice-chairpersons of the CPPCC National Committee, attended the meeting.

Ensuring that rural areas basically have access to modern living conditions and enabling farmers to enjoy a modern and civilized life locally constitute a vital component of national modernization. These efforts bear directly on the realization of the second centenary goal of building China into a great modern socialist country on all fronts by the middle of the century as scheduled.

Yue Xiuhu, deputy head of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), noted during his briefing that in recent years the NDRC has continuously improved rural infrastructure, public services and the living environment. Moving forward, the NDRC will strengthen planning coordination and standards guidance to promote the orderly development of harmonious and beautiful villages. Yue said that investment will be increased to tangibly upgrade rural infrastructure and public service levels, noting the need to emphasize reform and innovation to refine implementation mechanisms for rural development, thereby providing robust support for achieving the goal of rural areas basically having access to modern living conditions.

Maierdan Mugaiti, vice-minister of agriculture and rural affairs, said that the ministry, focusing on pressing difficulties and urgent concerns of farmers, has advanced rural construction in a solid manner and made notable progress in providing rural areas with basic modern living conditions. To meeting the 2035 targets and farmers' expectations, the ministry will closely align with farmers' needs, address weaknesses, optimize policy supply, improve implementation mechanisms, and deliver a number of tangible livelihood initiatives that farmers can feel and benefit from, contributing anew to comprehensively vitalizing the countryside.

During the session, some CPPCC members engaged in interactive exchanges with officials from relevant departments on topics including advancing rural construction amid evolving urban-rural patterns and demographic shifts, refining long-term operation and maintenance mechanisms for rural infrastructure and giving full play to farmers' principal role.