How to interpret the additions and subtractions in the No. 1 Central Document

The CPC Central Committee and the State Council recently issued the "Several Opinions on Increasing the Intensity of Reform and Innovation and Accelerating Agricultural Modernization." The document points out that it is necessary to actively adapt to the new normal of economic development, and in accordance with the general requirements of stabilizing grain output and increasing incomes, improving quality and efficiency, and innovation-driven development, continue to comprehensively deepen rural reform, comprehensively advance the construction of the rule of law in rural areas, promote the synchronized development of new industrialization, informatization, urbanization, and agricultural modernization, and strive to tap new potential in improving grain production capacity, open up new paths in optimizing the agricultural structure, seek new breakthroughs in transforming the mode of agricultural development, achieve new results in promoting increases in farmers' incomes, and take new steps in building a new countryside.

In every area touched by the "Opinions," the text sticks closely to the word "agriculture," fully embodying the weight of "agriculture, rural areas, and farmers." For example, consolidating the foundation of grain production sets higher requirements for farmland protection, pays greater attention to agricultural infrastructure and the "last kilometer" of farmland water conservancy, optimizes the agricultural structure, and strengthens the driving role of agricultural scientific and technological innovation... In the author's view, in the great "compass" of the Central Document No. 1, one of the major highlights is mainly reflected in "addition" and "subtraction," which will certainly provide a new starting point and important opportunities for the development of "agriculture, rural areas, and farmers."

The intensity of "addition" is greater - the "Opinions" emphasize: "To accelerate the development of modern agriculture, we must consolidate the foundation of grain production. No matter how we transform the mode or adjust the structure, we must never lower grain production capacity or reduce farmland. This is a bottom line that must be upheld." "We must consistently treat agriculture and rural areas as a priority area for fiscal expenditure at all levels, accelerate the establishment of a mechanism for stable growth of investment, continuously increase fiscal expenditure on agriculture and rural areas, and continue to tilt central government infrastructure investment toward agriculture and rural areas." It can thus be seen that "food is the first necessity of the people, and land is the foundation of agriculture." Protecting farmland is a basic national policy of the state. Ensuring food for 1.3 billion people has always been a long-term strategic task of the state. The state has repeatedly ordered that "the red line of 1.8 billion mu of farmland must be upheld," and it has continuously increased investment in agriculture and rural areas. Its starting point and ultimate goal are to safeguard China's food security. Therefore, the premise for stabilizing grain production is to ensure that the area of farmland "only increases and does not decrease" and to give priority to ensuring investment in agriculture and rural areas. Only in this way can we "have grain in hand and remain calm in heart."

Highlights of "subtraction" keep emerging - the "Opinions" propose: "Include insurance for seed production of major grain crops in the central finance premium subsidy catalog. The insured amount for varieties covered by central finance subsidies should cover direct materialized costs. Accelerate research and introduction of a central finance reward-in-place-of-subsidy policy for insurance of agricultural products with local characteristics and advantages." "Where there is actual need, expand pilot projects for villager self-governance with the villager group as the basic unit, continue to do a good job in pilot projects for villager self-governance with the community as the basic unit, and explore effective forms for realizing villager self-governance that suit local conditions." It can thus be seen that the state has continued to introduce "subtraction" measures to reduce farmers' burdens and has continuously increased investment in rural education, medical care, and various other social undertakings, which is conducive to easing the pressure on farmers' expenditures in these areas.

Solving the problems of agriculture, rural areas, and farmers bears on the overall situation of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects and must always be regarded as the top priority in the work of the whole Party. The "No. 1 Document" puts forward a series of new viewpoints, new policies, and new measures around "agriculture, rural areas, and farmers," which will certainly provide new impetus and add new vitality to agricultural development, rural prosperity, and farmers' prosperity. Therefore, to achieve new development in agriculture and rural areas under the new normal of economic development, it is necessary, in accordance with the general requirements of stabilizing grain output and increasing incomes, improving quality and efficiency, and innovation-driven development, to take reform as the driving force and the rule of law as the guarantee, accelerate the modernization of agriculture with Chinese characteristics, and lay the most solid cornerstone for realizing the great "Chinese Dream."