President Xi Jinping has urged supply and marketing cooperatives to root themselves in agriculture and rural areas, and continuously build a comprehensive platform for serving farmers' production and life and promoting the development of modern agriculture.

Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks in an instruction on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the founding of the All China Federation of Supply and Marketing Cooperatives. A meeting commemorating the anniversary was held in Beijing on Thursday.

Xi pointed out that over the past 70 years, supply and marketing cooperatives have always centered around the central tasks of the Party and actively served the overall development of the country.

They have played a positive role in serving rural and urban residents, boosting the rural economy, supporting poverty alleviation efforts, increasing farmers' income and promoting rural vitalization, he said.

Xi emphasized that on the new journey in the new era, Party committees and governments at all levels should further strengthen their leadership and support for the development of supply and marketing cooperatives, making full use of them.

He urged the supply and marketing cooperatives to faithfully implement the new development philosophy, focus on their main responsibilities and businesses, deepen comprehensive reforms and strengthen institutional innovation.

The supply and marketing cooperatives need to act as bridges for the Party and the government to maintain close ties with farmers, strive to write a new chapter of high-quality development of the sector, and make greater contributions to advancing comprehensive rural vitalization and accelerating the building of a country strong in agriculture, Xi added.

Premier Li Qiang also made an instruction, urging supply and marketing cooperatives to play a greater role in advancing urban-rural integration and accelerating the modernization of agriculture and rural areas.

The All China Federation of Supply and Marketing Cooperatives was established in 1954. After 70 years of development, supply and marketing cooperatives have accelerated their extension toward comprehensive agricultural social services and expanded their services to all-around urban and rural communities.

They also have formed a comprehensive, large-scale and sustainable service system for agriculture, enjoying a unique advantage and playing an important role in promoting comprehensive rural vitalization.

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