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Hu pledges to improve farmers' lot
(China Daily)
Updated: 2006-02-15 06:30
President Hu Jintao pledged yesterday to "respect farmers' wishes, safeguard
their interests and enhance their welfare" while building a new socialist
countryside.
President Hu Jintao
speaks at a meeting on building a new socialist countryside in Beijing
February 14, 2006. [Xinhua] | He made the remarks during a speech to provincial and ministerial officials
at a Central Party School seminar in Beijing.
"The Party and the nation as a whole must take a down-to-earth approach in
the building of a new socialist countryside that will truly benefit farmers,"
said Hu, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China.
The target for a new socialist countryside characterized by increased
agricultural productivity, a sound ecosystem and rising wealth was set at a
central work conference on rural development in December.
Participants including Premier Wen Jiabao agreed on giving importance to the
development of agriculture and rural areas in the 11th Five-Year Plan period
(2006-10).
The conference stressed that the development of agriculture and rural areas
is of great significance for China. "Only when the problems relating to
agriculture, rural areas and farmers have been solved can China's economy
develop in the right direction," it concluded.
During yesterday's speech, Hu noted that problems hindering the development
of agriculture and rural areas such as slow growth in farmers' income and poor
socio-economic conditions have not been solved
To build China into a generally well-off society and accelerate its
modernization process, "the most arduous task rests in the countryside," he
said, adding that it would take decades before a new socialist countryside turns
into reality.
Solving problems concerning agriculture, the rural areas and farmers should
be put at the top of the Party's agenda, Hu stressed.
He suggested that the nation "give more to, and take less from, the
countryside," where more flexible policies could be adopted to boost its
development.
(China Daily 02/15/2006 page1)
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