President Xi Jinping Reaffirms Commitment to 1.8 Billion Mu Arable Land Red Line

During a visit to Dezhou, Shandong, Chinese President Xi Jinping reiterated the critical importance of maintaining the 1.8 billion mu (approximately 120 million hectares) arable land red line to ensure national food security.

Key points

• President Xi emphasized that the country's modernization must rely on domestic food production, stating that 1.4 billion people cannot depend on others for their food supply.
• The government has implemented a lifelong responsibility system for arable land protection, where officials face accountability even after retirement for any breaches of the red line.
• Efforts to improve land quality include prioritizing the protection of black soil and developing high-standard farmland in saline-alkali regions.
• China's arable land area reached 1.94 billion mu during the 14th Five-Year Plan period, with a target to build 1.35 billion mu of high-standard farmland by 2030.

Why it matters

The reaffirmation of the 'red line' policy underscores China's strategic focus on food self-sufficiency and strict land management as foundational elements of its national security and modernization goals.