On the morning of February 28, the State Council Information Office held a press conference to introduce the high-quality development of transportation in serving Chinese-style modernization. Minister of Transport Li Xiaopeng said at the meeting that the national comprehensive three-dimensional transportation network is being accelerated and improved. In 2023, national fixed-asset investment in transportation reached 3.9 trillion yuan; 2,776 kilometers of new high-speed rail were opened; 7,000 kilometers of expressways were newly built or expanded; 1,000 kilometers of waterways were added or improved; the number of commercial aviation airports reached 259; and postal services were available in all incorporated villages across the country.

　　At the meeting, Li Xiaopeng stated that the "Four Good Rural Roads" refers to building, managing, maintaining, and operating rural roads well. In terms of building them well, all townships and incorporated villages with the necessary conditions nationwide now have access to paved roads. Over the past decade, 2.5 million kilometers of rural roads have been newly built or reconstructed, and by the end of 2023, the total mileage of rural roads had reached 4.6 million kilometers. In terms of managing them well, a rural road management system and mechanism have been established and improved, and all county-level administrative units with rural road management tasks have achieved full coverage of the "road chief system." In terms of maintaining them well, 63,000 dangerous bridges on rural roads have been reconstructed, and 1.3 million kilometers of safety life protection projects have been implemented. In terms of operating them well, all townships and incorporated villages with the necessary conditions nationwide now have access to passenger transport services. In particular, positive results have been achieved in the integrated development of rural passenger, freight, and postal services, with more than 11,000 integrated passenger-freight-postal routes opened, and rural passenger transport vehicles carrying more than 200 million pieces of mail and express parcels annually. In addition, the level of equalized urban and rural transportation services is also continuously improving.

　　Regarding this year's work, Li Xiaopeng introduced the following four points:

　　First, deeply advance a new round of rural road construction and reconstruction. Implement the five major projects of rural roads supporting rural revitalization, accelerate the building of a convenient, efficient, inclusive, and equitable rural road network, comprehensively improve the level of rural road maintenance and disaster prevention and mitigation capabilities, deeply advance rural road safety life protection projects and dangerous bridge reconstruction projects, and properly maintain the hard-won achievements of construction.

　　Second, accelerate the building of a rural road governance system suited to national conditions. Make every effort to advance the legislative work of the "Rural Road Regulations." Improve the long-term mechanism for the construction and maintenance of rural roads in remote mountainous areas. Advance the pilot program of rural road disaster damage insurance. Fully implement the "road chief system." At the same time, continue to carry out a series of demonstration and pilot projects, including the rural road transportation powerhouse pilot, the national demonstration county creation for "Four Good Rural Roads," and the demonstration county creation for urban-rural transportation integration.

　　Third, advance the integrated development of rural passenger, freight, and postal services. Deeply advance the integrated development of rural passenger, freight, and postal operating mechanisms, infrastructure, transport routes, and operational information, and establish an intensive and efficient rural transport service system. Make every effort to ensure the transport safety of grain, agricultural machinery and materials, and agricultural and sideline products.

　　Fourth, better serve the advancement of comprehensive rural revitalization. Vigorously develop road-derived economies and accelerate the construction of rural industrial roads, tourism roads, and resource roads. Increase the promotion of work-relief programs and make coordinated use of public welfare positions in the field of rural road management and maintenance to help farmers find employment nearby and locally. Continue to do a good job in targeted assistance and paired support, and continuously consolidate the achievements of transportation poverty alleviation.

　　Li Xiaopeng stated that, overall, the goal is to continue making every effort to advance the high-quality development of "Four Good Rural Roads."