Core Viewpoint - The article emphasizes that urban-rural integration is a necessary requirement for China's modernization, aiming to enhance the level of planning, construction, and governance to promote equal exchange and flow of urban and rural elements, thereby reducing disparities and fostering common prosperity [2][3]. Summary by Sections Urbanization Progress - Urbanization rate increased from 53.10% in 2012 to 67% in 2024, a rise of 13.9 percentage points over twelve years [3]. - The poverty alleviation campaign has successfully lifted 98.99 million rural poor out of poverty, with all 832 impoverished counties and 128,000 impoverished villages achieving this goal [3]. - The income ratio between urban and rural residents decreased from 3.03:1 in 2013 to 2.34:1 in 2024, indicating a narrowing income gap [3]. Challenges in Urban-Rural Integration - Issues such as insufficient urban-rural integration, significant disparities, and low farmer income remain weak links in the national economy [4]. - The low income of 600 million farmers is a primary reason for the urban-rural gap, with potential annual income increase of 12 to 13 trillion yuan if farmer incomes rise [5]. Proposed Measures for Urban-Rural Integration - The goal is to raise the permanent urban population rate from 67% to 78% by 2040, which would involve nearly 200 million farmers moving to cities [5][6]. - The household registration (hukou) urbanization rate should also increase from 48% to 78%, addressing the 2.5 billion people in a "semi-urbanized" state [6][7]. - Cities, except for a few megacities, should relax their household registration systems to encourage voluntary urban residency [7]. - Protecting the land rights of farmers who move to cities is crucial, ensuring their land use rights and collective income distribution rights are maintained [8]. Expected Outcomes of Urban-Rural Integration - Increased farmer income is anticipated as the average land per household rises from 7.8 acres to approximately 30 acres, potentially aligning farming income with urban worker income [9]. - Rural reforms will deepen as the average operational scale of farms increases, allowing for better economies of scale and reducing production costs [10]. - Agricultural economic development is expected to benefit from the influx of capital and technology, transforming agriculture into a "sixth industry" [10]. - Farmers' property income will rise as land resources are effectively utilized, improving their financial situation [11]. - Urbanization will lead to the development of new mega and large cities, enhancing labor supply and reducing excess real estate inventory [12]. Conclusion - The integration of urban and rural areas is essential for China's modernization, requiring a comprehensive understanding of the policies and strategies outlined in the recent government directives to effectively implement urban-rural integration [12][13].