The government's measures to increase rural incomes will top China's economic news this year, according to a forecast by leading economists and media chiefs.

Eleven leading economists and chief editors or deputy chief editors from 16 Beijing-based media organizations recently discussed hot economic issues and voted the top 10 hottest topics for 2005.

Increasing rural incomes is one of the central government's most important tasks for this year.

Implementation of the government's No 1 Document and other related policies will help overcome the slow growth in rural incomes.

China's securities market will arouse the greatest public attention, no matter how bullish or bearish it is.

The government's nine supportive measures announced last year and the approval granted to insurance funds to buy and sell stocks will have a great impact on the market.

People will also pay more attention to whether the government will map out new measures which can solve fundamental problems existing in the stock market.

Economists say the government will try to co-ordinate the relationship between resources, environmental protection and economic development in 2005.

It will give up the concept of pursuing high economic growth at the expense of resources and the environment.

The government will beef up and improve macro-control measures to form a long-effective mechanism for the country's economic development.

People are wondering whether the government can effectively address the shortages of coal, electricity, oil and transportation.

Last year witnessed a number of serious workplace accidents.

What measures the government will take to ensure work safety will also be a major topic this year.

While people will also be interested in the reform of State-owned companies and how to prevent the loss of State assets.

The government will also try to create more jobs, increase support for rural workers and low-income urban people.

Real estate development has been hitting the headlines in the past few years and it will continue to be in the spotlight this year.

The adjustment in the interest rate policy and the land policy will have an impact on the property market.

People will pay close attention to issues such as housing prices and supply.

Tax system reform will continue to be an important issue this year.

The reform of personal income taxes, the enterprise income tax, and sharing the tax system between the central and local governments will catch people's attention.

Financial reform will always arouse a great deal of public interest. The country is expected to witness progress in the reform, including the share-holding reform of State-owned banks, the liberalization of the renminbi interest rate, the improvement of the foreign exchange rate mechanism and private companies' entrance to the banking sector.

(China Daily March 1, 2005)