CRI听力:China to Secure 120m Hectares of Land for Agricultural Use

A statement released after the meeting says the central authorities still value the countryside as a core issue.

The statement says food security and the welfare of farmers should be secured as the trend toward urbanization continues in China.

The government says it hopes to maintain food self-sufficiency in the coming year.

It's also going to secure 120-million hectares of rural land for agricultural use.

The "red line" guarantee is a response to previous concerns that deepening reforms in rural areas may lead to the urban encroachment on farmland.

The new pledge comes after the central authorities were forced to import over 14 million tons of wheat, corns and rice in 2012.

That was up substantially from the 4-million tonnes imported the year before.

The new government statement says the task of feeding the people remains a high priority in China.

The statement also stresses that rural families should be the only ones eligible to contract rural land.

The policy is meant to protect farmers' interests during the transfer of rural lands.

At the same time, the central authorities are also promising to strengthen food safety and improve agricultural product quality.

The statement says if any farmland or water is seriously polluted, the area should be taken out of use, and supervision should be stepped up on food safety.

The two-day meeting has been overseen by Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang.

The decree also says that by 2020, around 100 million new urban residents who moved from the countryside are to have local residency.

For CRI, I am Cao Yuwei.