Fact-finding trip after farmers' harvest underscores safeguarding food security

When President Xi Jinping visited Dongyujia village in Dezhou, Shandong province, during the busy summer farming season on Wednesday morning, Li Lianjun, 54, and other villagers shared with him their joy over this year's summer grain harvest.

Xi was pleased to learn that wheat yields had increased again this year and that corn was being planted rapidly without missing the optimal planting window. He encouraged the farmers to steadily increase both yields and returns, and strive for a bumper grain harvest for the whole year.

"With all the wheat harvested, we knew we had secured a good harvest," Li said, noting that yields had increased by about 300 to 375 kilograms per hectare compared with last year.

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Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, was on an inspection trip to Dezhou on Wednesday.

For Li, who farms 6.7 hectares of land, the conversation in the fields remains vivid. "I never imagined that the general secretary would come right up to us," he said. "He was so warm and approachable."

Xi also asked Li about his household income, as well as his children's studies and lives.

Li said that those questions made the encounter feel more like a warm and informal chat about everyday life rather than an official inspection.

This year's bumper harvest, however, had not come easily for Dezhou's farmers.

Prolonged autumn rains in 2025 delayed wheat planting by more than 20 days, raising concerns about whether the crop could grow strongly enough before winter and recover in spring.

With the help of agricultural technicians throughout the growing season, the crop had fully recovered by early April, when the wheat entered the jointing stage.

Cui Xinyan, a local agricultural technician, said Xi showed a particular interest in the integrated irrigation and fertilization system used in the fields.

"He crouched down to take a close look and asked detailed questions about the system's operating costs and fertilizer mix," Cui recalled.

According to Cui, the technology can increase planting density from around 67,500 to more than 82,500 plants per hectare, raising average yields by over 10 percent.

Cui said that her strongest impression from speaking face to face with Xi was his close attention to agriculture, food security and agricultural technology.

"His words and actions reflected his deep affection for farmers," Cui said.

Xi's visit then continued from the fields to the nearby Xiyujia village, where he was offered a closer look at how changes in agricultural production and rural employment are reshaping villagers' lives.

At the home of Yu Xinhui, 36, Xi looked around and sat down with the family for a conversation. He asked about their jobs and income, the health of elderly family members and the children's studies. He also asked in detail whether policies concerning agriculture, rural areas and farmers had been fully implemented.

One question from Xi left a particularly deep impression on the villager.

"The general secretary asked whether there was anything I was unhappy with or wanted to complain about," Yu recalled. "That really warmed my heart. He truly cares about young people like us."

Yu said that the conversation gave him and other villagers a stronger sense of confidence and security.

"We feel more motivated and reassured," he said. "It feels we have strong support behind us."

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This year marks the beginning of China's 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) period. Agricultural and rural modernization, as outlined in the plan, has a major bearing on Chinese modernization as a whole. By 2030, the country aims to further strengthen food security, improve the quality, efficiency and competitiveness of agriculture, enhance agricultural sci-tech capabilities and continue raising farmers' incomes, among other goals.

Xi's fact-finding trip, which came a week before the CPC marks its 105th anniversary, underscored the Party's long-standing priorities of safeguarding food security, raising farmers' incomes and improving people's well-being.

As Xi left the village, residents gathered to give him a warm send-off.

"As we are marching on the new journey of building China into a modern socialist country in all respects, we must work together and keep up our stride on the new Long March to create a brighter future and continuously meet the people's aspirations for a better life," Xi said to them.

Contact the writers at mojingxi@chinadaily.com.cn