Premier Li Keqiang (2nd L) speaks at the central rural work conference in Beijing, capital of China. The conference was held from Dec 22 to 23. Vice-Premier Zhang Gaoli also attended the meeting. [Photo/Xinhua]

Premier Li Keqiang speaks at the central rural work conference in Beijing, capital of China. The conference was held from Dec 22 to 23. [Photo/Xinhua]

Premier Li Keqiang (3rd L rear) speaks at the central rural work conference in Beijing, capital of China. The conference was held from Dec 22 to 23. Vice-Premier Zhang Gaoli also attended the meeting.[Photo/Xinhua]

China concluded a tone-setting central rural work conference on Dec 23, vowing to push forward agricultural modernization through reform and innovation.

China made great progress in rural development in 2014, but it is facing “unprecedented” challenges if the country wants to achieve sustained and stable development in the agricultural sector, according to a statement released after the two-day meeting.

The country pledged to make more efforts to speed up agricultural modernization in order to unleash farmers’ consumption potential and spur investment in rural infrastructure.

An expanding agricultural sector will also forge new engines to propel China’s economic growth, according to the statement.

“Food security is China’s top priority during the agricultural modernization process. China will keep cereal largely self-sufficient and staples absolutely safe,” the statement read.

China will guide orderly transfer of management rights of rural lands and development of new agricultural entities in hope of boosting scale management.

China will roll out more preferential policies and beef up financial support to underpin rural development.

The Central Rural Work Conference is an annual event for Chinese policymakers to deliberate on and map out rural policies for next year.