(Yicai Global) Nov. 12 -- China must prioritize the development of agriculture and rural areas and increase farmers' incomes, according to the minister of agriculture.

China should launch infrastructure construction projects in villages, Han Changfu at the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs said at the China Development Forum 2020 that kicked off in Beijing yesterday.

The country needs to promote equal exchange between rural and urban areas to create a two-way approach that involves coordination and mutual assistance, said Han.

China should widen the coverage of public services and improve residents' living environments in rural regions by promoting infrastructure projects, he added.

Agriculture is closely related to macroeconomics, Han pointed out. As a primary industry, farming deals with grains and other important raw materials whereas migrant workers are the main task force in terms of developing the country's manufacturing and service sectors, he added.

Rural areas have vast markets and broad investment space, he said. Rising consumption among the 600 million permanent rural residents can become a powerful driver of economic recovery after the epidemic so those areas can play an important role in expanding domestic demand and shifting to a new development pattern, Han added.

Editor: Emmi Laine