Over the last 30 years China's reforms in rural areas have
recorded significant achievements and served the purpose of
protecting the material interests of farmers, their democratic
rights and helped enhance productivity.
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao made these remarks at a national
two-day conference on rural reform which closed Saturday.
Canceling agricultural tax across the country this year marks a new
stage in China's reforms in rural areas and the government
will continue to deepen institutional remodeling within townships
and financial restructuring at both county and township levels, he
said.
China's central, provincial and city governments have set aside
more than 100 billion yuan (US$12.5 billion) this year to make up
for the fiscal income losses of grassroots governments in the tax
reforms aimed at easing the burden of farmers, according to
official documents.
The comprehensive reforms in rural areas involve not only economics
but also political, social and cultural issues, Wen said.
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"We should strive to complete the institutional reform at township
level, the reform of rural compulsory education and the financial
reform at county and township levels in five years or a bit
longer," he explained.
On the institutional reform at township level Wen stressed the
importance of altering the functions of government, streamlining
departments, reducing expenditure and improving administrative
efficiency.
By the end of next year the country will exempt primary and junior
high school students in rural areas from tuition and other
educational expenses to ensure all children have ready access to
education, he said.
The salaries of rural teachers have to be included in government
budgets and should be guaranteed, he said. Random charges on rural
students for various reasons will be
prohibited.
Self-governance by villagers and expansion of grass-roots
democracy are also important tasks in
building a new countryside, Wen said. He
stressed the importance of democratic elections, decision-making,
management and supervision in villages.
(Xinhua News Agency September 4, 2006)