Chinese leader Xi Jinping traveled to Dezhou in eastern China’s Shandong Province on June 24 for his first formal domestic inspection tour of 2026, focusing on agricultural production and rural modernization during a visit closely followed by observers for both its timing and personnel.
According to state news agency Xinhua, Xi visited Dongyujia and Xiyujia villages in Bianlin Township, Lingcheng District, where he inspected farmland and met local officials and residents. He was accompanied by Vice Premier He Lifeng, Shandong Communist Party Secretary Lin Wu, and Governor Zhou Naixiang.
The heavily choreographed visit marked Xi’s first officially reported grassroots inspection of the year, coming nearly six months into 2026. In previous years, Xi typically conducted multiple provincial inspection tours during the first half of the year.
Footage released by Chinese state media showed Xi meeting villagers and local officials during the inspection. Videos circulating on overseas social media also drew attention after residents were seen welcoming Xi with synchronized applause while raising both hands above their heads. The footage prompted discussion among overseas commentators, who questioned the highly choreographed nature of official inspection visits, although similar public receptions have long accompanied senior Chinese leaders’ tours.
One detail concerning the trip was the absence of Cai Qi, the Politburo Standing Committee member who heads the Chinese Communist Party’s General Office and is widely regarded as Xi’s closest political aide. Cai has accompanied Xi on most major domestic inspection tours and overseas visits since joining the Politburo Standing Committee in 2022.
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State media did not explain why Cai was absent, but it fueled speculation among overseas Chinese media commentators, with some speculating about Cai’s political status.
Others noted that He Lifeng again accompanied Xi, as he did during the president’s May 2025 inspection tour of Henan Province.
Xinhua said the purpose of the June 24 visit was to inspect work related to “agricultural and rural modernization,” a theme that has received increased emphasis as Beijing seeks to strengthen food security and rural revitalization.
Dezhou inspection visit places emphasis on food security
Dezhou is one of China’s major grain-producing regions. Official figures show the city produces more than 15 billion jin (about 7.5 million metric tons) of grain annually, accounting for roughly 1 percent of the country’s total grain output. The city has frequently been highlighted by Chinese authorities as a model for high agricultural productivity.
The inspection comes as China’s leadership continues to emphasize food security amid concerns over global supply chains, climate-related disruptions, and geopolitical uncertainty. Rural revitalization has remained a central component of Beijing’s long-term development strategy following the country’s declared victory over extreme poverty in 2021.
Xi’s inspection followed a high-profile overseas trip earlier in June, during which he visited North Korea and met its leader Kim Jong Un. Cai Qi, who was recently appointed head of the CCP’s Central Party School, accompanied Xi throughout that visit, including at events involving North Korea’s ruling Workers’ Party.
Beyond the questions surrounding Cai’s absence, the Dezhou inspection underscored Beijing’s continued emphasis on agricultural modernization as China seeks to improve domestic food production and rural development. State media highlighted Xi’s calls to strengthen grain production, modernize agriculture, and advance rural revitalization, priorities that have featured prominently in recent central government policy documents.
As with previous provincial inspection tours, Xinhua did not indicate whether additional stops would follow the Dezhou visit or provide details about any broader policy announcements resulting from the trip.
