From the busy farming scene of summer harvest and summer sowing, to the tackling of projects with numerous tower cranes; From the long-standing efforts in ecological governance to the rising fireworks of new consumption scenarios... In the final month of the first half of the year, China's economic and social development had many highlights and innovative ideas. While maintaining an overall stable and progressive trend, confidence and momentum in development continued to strengthen.
Observation one: The busy farming season during the Three Summers is just right
During the "Three Summers" season, the farming season is tight and the tasks are heavy. In mid June, in Wenxi County, Yuncheng, Shanxi Province, agricultural machinery operator Cheng Anshen drove a new type of seeder through freshly harvested wheat fields.
Once the wheat is harvested, corn must be planted immediately, otherwise the soil moisture will be lost and the emergence of seedlings will be delayed. Cheng Anshen's precise sowing machine can increase the yield by two to three hundred pounds per mu compared to ordinary sowing methods.
Summer grain is the first season of grain harvested throughout the year. Whether summer sowing and summer management can be done well directly affects the foundation of autumn grain harvest. Strengthening the production of the "Three Summers" is to solidify the foundation for a bountiful harvest of grain throughout the year.
Currently, the progress of summer wheat harvest in China has reached 97%. The latest news from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs shows that the summer grain area remains stable this year, and the yield is expected to increase. A bumper harvest has become a certainty.
On the production line of the "Three Summers", AI、 The Internet of Things and other technological means are deeply embedded in the entire agricultural production chain. In Zouping, Shandong, unmanned harvesters complete automatic harvesting in unmanned farms; In Zhoukou, Henan, the real-time location, operation status, and driving trajectory of the harvesters connected to the network are dynamically updated on the cloud platform, making the supply and demand gap of agricultural machinery in the county clear at a glance; In the wheat growing area of Guanzhong, Shaanxi, the mobile application "Dudu Agricultural Machinery" combines "Three Summers" services and guidance, making it convenient for farmers and machine operators
Not long ago, Xihua County in Zhoukou City, Henan Province completed efficient wheat harvesting. Li Jianfeng, Deputy Director of Xihua County Agricultural Machinery Technology Center, introduced that currently newly produced wheat harvesters are generally pre installed with positioning systems, which can be directly connected to relevant agricultural machinery cloud platforms. During this year's peak wheat harvest season, the county has invested more than 1500 harvesters. With the support of cloud platform technology, wheat harvesting was basically completed in just 7 days after the sickle was opened, and the progress has significantly accelerated compared to previous years.
A "Three Summer Harvest Picture" with fragrant wheat waves and roaring agricultural machinery is slowly unfolding in the vast fields. From intelligent agricultural machinery to smart platforms, from harvesting, sowing to management, the collision of technology and agriculture has better achieved cost reduction, efficiency improvement, and risk resistance, building a solid barrier for China's food security.
Observation 2: Press the "fast forward button" for major projects
On the Dadu River, the drop of over a hundred meters makes the water flow in the spillway like galloping horses. On June 20th, the last unit of the Daduhe Jinchuan Hydropower Station was successfully connected to the grid, achieving full capacity production and power generation.
The project has overcome technical challenges such as deep riverbed cover and the construction of underground caverns under complex geological conditions. It has built a 'natural river channel+tunnel' ecological fishway, which not only enhances the energy supply capacity of Sichuan power grid during peak summer, but also achieves synchronous promotion of engineering construction and ecological protection, "said Feng Deqiang, head of the Mechanical and Electrical Materials Department of Guoneng Daduhe Jinchuan Hydropower Construction Co., Ltd.
Major engineering projects are the cornerstone of economic development.
In June of this year, the first major national landmark project that started construction during the 15th Five Year Plan period, the Three Gorges Water Transport New Channel Project, broke ground. In addition, the Pinglu Canal has been fully connected to water, the Pingluo Tunnel of the Tianlong Railway has been completed, and the Gongjialiang Tunnel of the Kangyu section of the West Chongqing High speed Railway has been successfully completed... A number of projects have started, completed or made key progress.
In late June, as the last module landed steadily above the pipeline, the offshore installation of all modules in the world's largest metamorphic rock oilfield - Bozhong 26-6 Oilfield Development Project (Phase II) was successfully completed, officially entering the equipment commissioning stage.
At the same time as oil and gas enrichment, this project also achieves the capture and utilization of carbon dioxide. It is expected that 1.5 million tons of carbon dioxide will be buried in the entire life cycle of the oil field, equivalent to planting nearly 14 million trees. "Wang Chuanjun, Chief Engineer of Bohai Operations Company of CNOOC Tianjin Company, introduced that the project has multiple values such as energy supply guarantee, green transformation, and scientific research, and is of great significance for ensuring energy security in the Beijing Tianjin Hebei and Bohai Rim regions.
Major construction projects are closely related to the overall economic and social development. Taking major projects as the starting point, seizing opportunities and taking proactive measures across the country, we will lay a solid foundation for a good start to the 15th Five Year Plan.
Observation Three: Ecological Governance Shows Significant Results
Entering the desert control site in the heart of Ulan Buh during summer, the vast expanse of shuttle buses and four winged quinoa adorn the desert with green attire. Sand control workers are seizing the opportunity to carry out fine management operations such as watering, weeding, and pest control.
We will focus on nurturing and managing nearly 140000 acres of newly planted forests such as Haloxylon ammodendron and Four winged Chenopodium within three years to ensure the survival rate and preservation rate of afforestation, "said Han Yinglian, Secretary of the Party Group of Dengkou County Sand Control Bureau in Bayannur City, Inner Mongolia.
Green mountains and clear waters, infinite vitality. Ecological environment protection and governance continue to strengthen across the country, and new steps have been taken in the construction of a beautiful China.
Qinghai continues to implement ecological protection and restoration projects, promoting the construction of Sanjiangyuan National Park; The natural ecosystems of Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao continue to improve, with the area of mangrove forests steadily increasing and rare species such as black faced spoonbills frequently appearing; In the Hotan area of Xinjiang, machinery equipped with the Beidou satellite navigation system can accurately plant a seedling in just 5 seconds, and the efficiency of grass grid laying machines has increased by more than 10 times
A series of reports also demonstrate the continuous optimization of China's ecological environment - the "2025 China Ecological Environment Status Bulletin" released on World Environment Day on June 5th shows that the quality of the national ecological environment continues to improve; At the promotional event of the "National Low Carbon Day" in 2026, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment released the "Progress Report on China's Adaptation to Climate Change (2025)", which showed that China has achieved practical results in addressing climate change and green low-carbon transformation.
30 years ago, the sandstorms here made it impossible to see the road, and people had to wrap themselves in three layers of scarves when they went out. Looking at the endless grass square grid sand barrier in the Mugetan National Desertification Land Protection Zone, Zhuo Majie, Deputy Director of the Forestry and Grassland Bureau of Hainan Prefecture, Qinghai Province, sighed. Nowadays, the sand control methods are constantly upgrading, and the quicksand is firmly "nailed" in place, gradually transforming the desertified land into a continuous "Green Great Wall".
The sand dunes no longer move, the mountains and forests are covered in green again, and the concept of green development is rooted in the vast land. We must anchor the development direction of ecological priority and continue to steadfastly follow the path of green, low-carbon, and high-quality development.
Observation 4: Diversified Scenarios Inspire New Consumption Vitality
This summer, the Northeast City Football League (referred to as the "Northeast Super League") is in full swing, and the tickets for the matches have become the "cultural and tourism passport" to travel freely in Northeast China.
The four provinces and regions in Northeast China have innovatively launched the gameplay of "one ticket to enter the Kanto region". The family flew to Shenyang to watch the game on the weekend and even visited the Shenyang Forbidden City for free with their tickets. They got discounts on meals and accommodation, saving several hundred yuan, "said Zhang En, a fan from Jiangsu.
Currently, "Northeast Supermarket" and other "urban supermarkets" are popular throughout the country, and the competition effect has been transformed into new consumer vitality; Jinjiang, Fujian Province has sparked an industrial tourism boom, revitalizing existing resources; The Hainan Free Trade Port has been closed for half a year, promoting the continuous upgrading of tourism consumption... Diverse consumption scenarios continue to emerge.
Since June, many regions have implemented new summer consumption support policies. In Beijing, the 2026 "Longfu Tide Gathering" summer themed event has officially kicked off, promoting the prosperity of the nighttime economy; In Sichuan, the 2026 "Cool Summer" consumption promotion series of activities kicked off in Suining, planning and implementing over a thousand characteristic consumption activities; In Shandong, in 2026, the subsidy scope for local self owned categories of consumer goods trade in includes 8 new categories such as floor cleaning robots and smart toilets
Ms. Hu, a resident of Maofeng Community in Fengjie County, Chongqing, has completed a discounted replacement of her old car that has been driven for 14 years. With various subsidies at all levels and types, a new car worth nearly 190000 yuan has landed for just over 150000 yuan, which is very cost-effective.
The fundamental way to promote consumption is to effectively improve people's livelihoods and enhance their well-being. With the emergence of new business models and scenarios, and the continuous supply of high-quality services, consumption is constantly playing a fundamental role in driving economic growth, forming more new growth points.