Xi's Rural Trip Highlights 5-Year Plan to Reinvent the Countryside

Xi Jinping's highly scripted visit to the countryside last week highlighted the communist party's intent to overhaul rural China in the latest 5-year plan (2026-30). 

In a carefully staged photo, Xi stands in a recently harvested wheat field
socially distanced from lesser officials and harvester operators. A tractor is strategically
placed in the background.

On June 24, 2026, Xi made a rare trip outside of Beijing to inspect rural areas of the Dezhou Municipality of northern Shandong Province. State media coverage made it clear that the trip was meant to feature priorities for agricultural and rural modernization with Chinese characteristics during the 15th 5-year plan. A description of the inspection placed in State media outlets emphasized that Xi's visit to Dezhou was made "with matters of national importance in mind." A second version emphasized measures to achieve Chinese-style rural and agricultural modernization and improvement of rural life under the leadership of a tireless cadre of rural party members. Reports on Xi's visit emphasized that this is the first year of the 5-year plan and that Xi has issued important directives about the importance of rural work to national modernization, focusing on:

• Boosting production capacity, quality and efficiency
• Ensuring a stable supply of grain and other agricultural products
• Developing livable, business-friendly, and beautiful rural areas
• Encouraging farmers to create a better life through their own hard work and wisdom.

Xi arrived in Dongyujia Village after completion of the Winter wheat harvest as farmers were beginning to plant crops to be harvested in the Fall. The article dutifully reported Xi's pleasure in learning that wheat yields increased again this year and that corn planting was proceeding rapidly--meant to call attention to the importance of double-cropping these two grain crops, claim that yields are rising, and to dispel concerns that heavy rains and a June hailstorm had impeded the wheat harvest.

Corn seeds developed by the Shandong Province Academy of Agricultural Science and a basket of wheat displayed during Xi's visit emphasize aspirations for self-sufficiency in seeds.

Xi's inspection highlighted seeds, equipment, and a reorganization of farming that leaders are counting on to raise agricultural output. Xi inspected liquified fertilizer facilities by an irrigation canal, and he conversed with large-scale grain growers, agricultural machinery operators, and agricultural technicians. 

Xi called for construction of "high-standard farmland," promotion of water-saving and efficiency-enhancing agricultural practices and strengthening of weather forecasting services. 

An operator hired to plant corn in a field after the wheat harvest highlights provision of farming services.

The central role of the communist party in revamping the countryside was the core message in Xi's visit to Xiyujia Village, designated as a "National Civilized Village" (全国文明村). The description highlighted the presence of 17 party members in the village of 920 people. Xi visited the Village Party Service Center for the Masses (村党群服务中心) where he saw a map showing a plan for focusing various activities in different zones of the village alongside a display of the village's farm products. 

Party Service Center for the Masses in Xiyujia Village, expected to coordinate matching farmers with service providers and problem-solving.

Xi proclaimed that the village party organization will play a guiding role in building up the Party and mobilizing the enthusiasm of villagers, with village officials devoting time and energy to serving the public and driving development. Implicitly rebuking rural officials who go through the motions and view their positions as a means of their own wealth and power, Xi urged village party members and cadres to be conscious of their role as public servants and to deepen their commitment to the people. Village party members were instructed to do more good deeds for "the masses," handle their practical matters, and resolve their difficulties, ultimately giving the common people (老百姓) a true sense of happiness and security. The description used the modifier "实实在在" that means the sense of happiness should be authentic and not exaggerated.

A concluding paragraph heavily laden with party buzz words claimed an historic role for the communist party by asserting that it has united and led people of all ethnic groups in the country (团结带领全国各族人民) in unremitting struggle during its 105 years, achieving great successes that stand the test of history. The party promises a "new Long March" to continuously meet the peoples' aspirations for a better life. 

Surprisingly, Xi's visit was not mentioned on the main MARA home page, but 5 days later the web site reported on a briefing for rural officials with similar language that hammered home the importance of the new 5-year plan and its historical significance for rural party cadres. (The new minister of agriculture had visited the Dezhou region during May to check on the wheat crop, visit an agricultural lab, and issue exhortations to rural officials). 

While this appears to be an example of precise planning and concern for the common people, it may reflect worries about a restive countryside impatient over unpaid wages, falling farm prices, financial scams, and the party's corruption and mismanagement. Behind the scenes, Communist leaders are still working to excise the influence of former Agriculture Minister Tang Renjian--deposed 2 years ago and given a delayed death sentence. In another meeting aimed at scaring rural officials to clean up their act on June 22, 2026, current Agriculture Minister Zhang Zhu warned MARA officials that it is necessary to "resolutely eliminate the negative impact of the case involving Tang Renjian’s serious violations of discipline and law," in order to create a new atmosphere of integrity, enthusiasm, and leadership of rural development. 

These images illustrating Xi's visit to Dezhou feature elements of the rural makeover: golden grain loaded into trucks; shiny tractors; carefully planned villages, irrigation canals, surrounding fields and farming infrastructure; a village communist party service center; happy people cheering for Xi and the party.