Upgraded farming key to rural uplift

Developing modern agriculture is the Chinese government's top priority in building a new socialist countryside, according to a central government document released here on Monday.

The document, jointly released by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council, contains the first set of major policies to be released this year and focuses on rural development for the fourth consecutive year.

"Developing modern agriculture has proven to be the basic channel through which farmers' incomes can be increased," said the document.