China Media Group (CMG) on Monday unveiled its annual list of top 10 news stories spotlighting China's progress in rural revitalization during 2025.
The list was compiled through discussion and voting by an expert panel made up of officials from ministries such as the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, the Ministry of Natural Resources, and the Ministry of Water Resources. Scholars from leading academic institutions including the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Tsinghua University, Peking University, and China Agricultural University also participated, alongside media representatives from Xinhua News Agency, Farmers' Daily, and others.
The complete list is as follows.
1. The adoption of the Recommendations of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) for Formulating the 15th Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development at the fourth plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee.
This key document emphasizes that addressing issues related to agriculture, rural areas, and rural residents remains a critical priority for the entire Party, with a goal of accelerating agricultural and rural modernization to achieve all-around rural revitalization.
2. The 20th anniversary of President Xi Jinping's concept that "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets".
The philosophy was first proposed in Yucun, a former mining village in east China's Zhejiang Province. Over the past two decades, this vision has guided China toward impressive ecological and developmental achievements. It is also embodied in the Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization, a key component of the country's drive toward green modernization.
3. The congratulations extended by Xi to China Agricultural University faculty, students and alumni on the university's 120th founding anniversary.
In the letter, Xi encouraged the institution to cultivate more passionate and knowledgeable agricultural professionals dedicated to serving the country's development goals in rural areas.
4. China's grain production continued its upward momentum, reaching 1.42975 trillion jin (714,875,000 tons) in 2025.
The output marks a 1.2 percent increase compared to the previous year, and also a sustained stability above the benchmark of 1.4 trillion jin (700 million tons), further strengthening the foundation of national food security.
5. The release of two major planning documents - the plan for accelerating the building of an agricultural power (2024-2035) and the all-around rural revitalization plan (2024-2027).
The two documents charted a clear path for the years ahead by placing building agricultural strength at the core of rural policy and outlining defined goals and timelines to advance modernization and revitalization in rural areas through 2035.
6. This year's "No. 1 central document" issued by China's central authorities.
The document focused on deepening rural reform and accelerating the development of new productive forces in agriculture. The year saw a sharp rise in the adoption of smart farming technologies, products, and systems, moving from pilot projects to broader application.
7. As 2025 marks the final year of the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025), several notable infrastructure milestones were achieved.
Every county in China gained access to gigabit broadband networks, townships reached full 5G coverage, and all villages achieved broadband access. The availability of tap water in rural areas rose to 96 percent. Meanwhile, 2,199 counties rolled out county-level medical consortia, and more than 95 percent of village clinics were included in the national medical insurance system.
8. The five-year transition period successfully concluded with China's poverty alleviation achievements consolidated and expanded.
The baseline to prevent large-scale relapse into poverty was firmly secured, and regular assistance was incorporated into the comprehensive implementation of the rural revitalization strategy.
9. China's Law on Rural Collective Economic Organizations officially took effect.
The law clarified the special legal person status, property management and income distribution mechanisms of collective economic organizations. It marks a milestone in the legalization of the country's basic rural management system.
10. The first-ever conference on social etiquette and civility in rural areas.
The Publicity Department of the Central Committee of the CPC and six other departments jointly issued the Work Plan for Enriching Rural Culture Through Literature and Art (2025–2027), which proposes promoting a flourishing rural culture, changing outdated social mores, and turning the countryside into a beautiful and harmonious place for people to live and work in.
China Media Group releases top 10 rural revitalization news of 2025
