The Poster News APP:

As we have observed through our daily reporting, rural road construction is important for improving people's travel and quality of life. In May this year, General Secretary Xi Jinping made important instructions on further promoting the construction, management, maintenance, and operation of roads in rural areas, and called for the implementation of a new round of rural road upgrading campaigns. What aspects will the MOT focus on next to facilitate people's travel and improve their daily lives? Thank you.

Li Xiaopeng:

Thank you for your interest in rural roads. The construction, management, maintenance and operation of roads in rural areas is initiated and promoted by General Secretary Xi Jinping. It is a moral and political project that is for the people's wellbeing and grounded in the needs of the people. It has made an important contribution to poverty alleviation and the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects. As of the end of last year, the total length of China's rural roads stood at 4.6 million kilometers. As General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized, the project has achieved notable achievements in boosting the sense of fulfillment, happiness and security among rural residents, and has brought them wealth, happiness, connectivity and revitalization.

As you just mentioned, on the 10th anniversary of General Secretary Xi Jinping's first important instructions on the project, in May this year, he once again made important instructions on it, fully affirming the achievements of the project and putting forward clear requirements and expectations for promoting its high-quality development on the new journey of the new era. We must study his instructions carefully and implement them thoroughly.

We will continue to work hard and make sustained efforts. China has a vast territory, extensive rural areas, and uneven levels of development. Rural roads represent our most extensive infrastructure network, serving the largest population and providing the most widely accessible public service. Their strong public welfare nature demands our consistent effort on this new journey.

We will improve policies and regulations, promoting the formulation of Regulations on Rural Roads and developing the 15th Five-Year Development Plan for Roads to solidify the general framework of the country's rural roads system.

We will further enhance governance capacity by deepening the reform of the rural roads management and maintenance system, optimize the "road-chief" long-term operating mechanism, and continuously stimulate the impetus and vitality for high-quality development of the construction, management, maintenance and operation of rural roads.

We will also implement a new round of initiatives to improve rural highways. These include enhancing the road network, safety measures, transportation services, governance capabilities, travel amenities, beautiful village development, industrial support, and employment and income generation opportunities.

Moving forward, we will thoroughly study and implement the important instructions made by General Secretary Xi Jinping. In cooperation with all regions and departments, we will continue to promote high-quality construction, management, maintenance, and operation of roads in rural areas. We strive to write a new chapter in building China into a country with great transportation strength, particularly in rural areas. This effort will provide strong support for advancing Chinese modernization.