Xi in Shandong: Food Security and Roots in the People

Chinese President Xi Jinping conducted an inspection visit to Dezhou, Shandong Province, on June 24, 2026, focusing on the “Sanxia” (三夏) summer farming season and reaffirming the critical importance of food security and grassroots governance. The visit, which took place just days before the 105th anniversary of the Chinese Communist Party on July 1, highlighted the administration’s commitment to rural revitalization and staying connected to the people, according to Xinhua News Agency.

Context and Background

Xi’s visit to Shandong — a province often referred to as the “Qilu Granary” and a cornerstone of China’s agricultural output — comes amid a challenging agricultural cycle. Autumn 2025 flooding delayed wheat planting across northern China, and severe convective weather in spring 2026 threatened the summer harvest. Despite these headwinds, the 2026 wheat per-mu yield was reported to have increased, with corn planting proceeding on schedule.

The visit also carries significant political weight. It occurred during a Party-wide campaign on establishing a “correct view of performance,” which emphasizes people-centered governance over bureaucratic target-chasing, as reported by the CPC Members Network (12371.cn).

Key Developments

Xi arrived in Dezhou accompanied by Shandong Party Secretary Lin Wu, Governor Zhou Naixiang, and senior national leader He Lifeng. His itinerary included two villages in Lingcheng District: Dongyujia Village and Xiyujia Village.

At Dongyujia Village, Xi walked into the fields to inspect summer farming operations. He spoke with large-scale grain growers, agricultural machinery operators, and agrotechnicians, inquiring about per-mu yields, income levels, fertilizer techniques, and equipment usage. According to a detailed analysis by CCTV republished on the CPC Members Network, Xi emphasized that “ensuring the stable supply of grain and other important agricultural products is the top priority of agricultural production.”

In a poignant moment captured by Xinhua photographers, Xi picked up a handful of freshly harvested wheat from a round bamboo tray, examining it closely — a gesture that the Xinhua reporter’s notebook described as reflecting his enduring connection to the land. Xi, who spent years as a sent-down youth in rural Shaanxi, has often drawn on his personal farming experience.

“I proposed that the 1.8 billion mu red line for farmland cannot be broken, and fertile land must be used for grain,” Xi told the farmers, according to Xinhua’s account. “No matter how modernized our country becomes, we must primarily rely on ourselves for grain. 1.4 billion people cannot rely on anyone else to feed them.”

Xi also expressed his vision for agricultural prosperity, stating that grain farming should “become a path to prosperity” and that agriculture should be “a promising industry” with farming as “an attractive profession.”

At Xiyujia Village, a “National Civilized Village” of 920 residents, Xi visited the village Party service center and the home of villager Yu Xinhui. He sat with Yu’s family, inquiring about employment, income, elderly health, and children’s education. The village has seen remarkable economic transformation: collective income grew 18-fold in five years, per capita income doubled to 40,000 yuan (approximately $5,500) by 2025, and agricultural tourism projects have created over 500 jobs.

Analysis and Implications

Xi’s remarks on food security carry particular weight given global food price volatility and ongoing geopolitical tensions. His assertion that China must be self-reliant in grain production reinforces a longstanding policy priority, while the timing — just ahead of the CPC’s 105th anniversary — allows the administration to showcase tangible achievements in rural development.

The visit also served to reinforce the Party’s grassroots governance message. Xi praised the village Party organizations as “vibrant” and encouraged cadres to “strengthen their sense of public service.” The emphasis on reducing burdens at the grassroots level addresses a recurring tension between top-down performance targets and local implementation realities.

According to the China Workers’ Network, Xi called on Party members and officials to “do more good things, practical things, and difficult things for the masses, truly enhancing the people’s sense of gain, happiness, and security.”

What’s Next

As China approaches the 105th anniversary of the CPC on July 1, Xi’s visit to Shandong signals policy continuity on food security and rural revitalization at the start of the 15th Five-Year Plan period. The successful summer harvest, achieved despite adverse weather, provides a positive narrative for the anniversary celebrations. Observers will watch for further policy announcements on agricultural support and rural development in the coming months.

“Now that the summer harvest has been good, I congratulate you,” Xi told the farmers. “We also have hopes for the autumn harvest. I wish your lives will rise like sesame flowers blooming step by step.”