A country road meanders through Yanmendi, a hilly region in western Youyang, Chongqing.

After China finished building a moderately prosperous society in all respects, thus completing the First Centenary Goal, it went on toward the Second Centenary Goal of building a great modern socialist country in all respects. This transition has led to accelerated efforts to advance Chinese modernization in the agricultural sector and rural areas. 

Rural development is of vital importance for the realization of China’s Second Centenary Goal, and has drawn broad attention globally. With less developed infrastructure in comparison with cities, the vast countryside is home to a huge population — over 500 million — who have relatively less education, fewer skills, and lower incomes. Many rural residents had not been lifted out of poverty until recent years. 

In this issue, China Today looks at how to help them achieve greater prosperity, how to foster industries and businesses to provide lasting momentum for rural growth, how to attract professionals to work in the countryside, and how to balance environmental protection with economic development. Special emphasis will be laid upon endeavors by some regions in the megacity of Chongqing and local people’s quest for solutions.