President Hu Jintao pledged to continue pushing for rural reform during a three-day trip to Henan that ended yesterday.
The move is seen as a prelude to a new wave of reforms to be unveiled when Communist Party leaders hold a plenary session next month.
Hailing the success of rural reforms that were first introduced 30 years ago, Mr Hu said rural development now stood at a 'historical high point' as he stressed the importance of continual reform, China Central Television reported.
Speaking after touring Henan, the mainland's top grain producer for eight years in a row, Mr Hu said accelerating changes in the way the agricultural sector operates should be the first element of rural reform.
'Second, we have to develop modern agriculture to raise the comprehensive production capacity of the agriculture sector,' he said.
