The Standing Committee of the 10th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), China's top advisory body, on Wednesday held workshops on building new countryside.

The Standing Committee members discussed balancing rural and urban development, developing the rural economy and increasing farmers' income, enhancing rural infrastructure, developing rural social undertakings and improving democratic management and comprehensive reforms in the countryside.

Jia Qinglin, chairman of the CPPCC National Committee, was present at a workshop.

Some members proposed the removal of barriers affecting coordinated rural and urban development and the free flow and optimized allocation of resources between rural and urban areas.

They agreed that the focus should be put on developing county economy, transfer of rural labor to non-farming industries, towns and cities and increasing transfer payments to the underdeveloped west region.

(Xinhua News Agency July 6, 2006)