国内英语新闻:Xi extends greetings ahead of farmers' harvest festival

BEIJING, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- President Xi Jinping extended greetings to farmers and people working in agricultural and rural fronts before the third Chinese farmers' harvest festival that falls on Sept. 22.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, stressed the fostering of an atmosphere in the whole society where agriculture, rural areas and farmers are cared for.

While the country is on track to achieve a bumper autumn harvest, this year's harvest is hard-won, Xi said, citing challenges to agricultural production brought about by the COVID-19 epidemic, floods in the Yangtze River basin, droughts in the northeastern region as well as typhoons.

The president commended farmers and officials working at the primary level on managing to ensure spring plowing and agricultural production amid effective epidemic control.

They fought against the disasters and strived to secure the bumper harvest, providing strong support for maintaining overall economic and social stability, Xi said.

Party committees and governments at all levels should earnestly implement the CPC Central Committee's major policies and work plans on agriculture, rural areas and farmers, Xi said, urging efforts to make farmers' lives better.