A senior official of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Wednesday encouraged college graduates-turned village "heads" to continue to work in countryside after finishing their initial contracts.

Li Yuanchao, head of the Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee, went to rural areas in Xuzhou city in east China's Jiangsu Province to extend new year greetings to youngsters serving in villages.

The countryside has seldom had university graduates workers in the past three decades.

In recent years, China has started selecting college graduates to work in villages.

Currently, there are 200,000 graduated-turned village officials working in the rural areas. Some of them complete their contracts this year.

Li encouraged the graduate-turned village "heads" to better understand the countryside, serve the countryside and forge friendship with farmers.

The CPC Central Committee pays great attention to those graduate-turned village "heads."

Documents released suggest five options for those about to fulfill their terms: continue serving in the village; take the civil servant exam; start a business; go back university for further study; find another job.

"The countryside needs talented people the most," he added, hoping that more graduate-turned village "heads" can continue to work in the countryside, to contribute to the building of the socialist countryside.