China's Construction of an Agricultural Powerhouse—Experience and Inspiration from Representative Countries

The construction of an agricultural powerhouse in China is confronted with the practical dilemma of relying mainly on small-scale farming and weak agricultural competitiveness, so an exploration of feasible paths for building an agricultural powerhouse is urgently needed. This study constructed indicator systems that reflect the level of agricultural development from three dimensions: resource endowment, output status, and urban-rural relations. On this basis, the gap between China and the world's representative agricultural powers was analyzed, and the evolutionary characteristics of agricultural policies in the European Union, Japan, and the United States were explored, leading to relevant policy implications. This analysis found that the superficial problems of China's agricultural development lie in the relative scarcity of good resource conditions and insufficient modernization, while the underlying crux lies in the lack of obvious industrial competitive advantages, which is especially reflected in the lack of coordinated development between industry, agriculture, and urban-rural areas. The European Union, Japan, and the United States all focus on improving the international competitiveness of agriculture based on their comparative advantages, attach importance to the comprehensive development of rural areas, and have effectively constructed coordinated industry-agriculture and urban-rural relations, all of which have promoted the comprehensive development of agriculture. China's construction of an agricultural powerhouse should be based on its national conditions and the general laws governing the building a world-class agricultural powerhouse. The strategy should include focusing on building a diversified food supply system to ensure food security; focusing on the modernization of agricultural science and technology, which will promote the process of agricultural modernization; promoting the development of the entire agricultural industry chain, which will enhance the competitiveness and risk resistance of the agricultural industry; accelerating public policy reform and continuing to promote urban-rural integration.