Members of the 10th National Committee of the Chinese People's
Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), China's top advisory
body, held special panel discussions Saturday on the work of the
State Council, China's cabinet, in 2004. The members heard Premier
Wen Jiabao deliver the work report as nonvoting delegates to the Third
Session of the 10th National People's Congress (NPC).
The CPPCC members expressed satisfaction with the government's
work concerning agriculture and farmers. They also made suggestions
for improvements in the year ahead.
Li Dehong, a CPPCC member who is vice secretary-general of the
People's Government of the Xinjiang
Uygur Autonomous Region, said, "It is good for the premier's
report to encourage farmers to seek employment, to provide labor
services or start their own businesses to boost their incomes. But
more efforts are still needed to implement the policy and to
improve their employment and business environment."
Li said that the surplus rural labor force in Xinjiang numbers 2
million, only half of whom have been able to find work outside
their villages. Most of those who have found jobs are working in
labor-intensive industries producing low-value-added goods, and
therefore receiving low wages.
He praised the central government plan to allocate additional
funding to agricultural science and technology and development of
rural infrastructure, noting that there is a dire need for such
expenditure.
While pleased to hear that poverty alleviation had been set as a
top priority for the government in the year ahead, Li said that he
believes existing criterion of average annual per capita income of
627 yuan (US$76) to define poor families is too low.
Attention to the rural situation is a crucial part of building a
harmonious society, said Li. "In Xinjiang, I often hear of
conflicts breaking out between farmers or herders over disputed
land, water resources, grasslands and forestry. For us, the idea of
building a harmonious society means working for the unity and
common prosperity of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang."
Fang Zhiyuan, a CPPCC member who is a research fellow with the
Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), applauded such
successes as a rebound in grain production and a significant
increase in farmers' incomes resulting from the government's
efforts last year. However, he noted that while reform brings
benefits, it can also create new problems.
He pointed out that many agricultural research institutions are
facing financial problems. CAAS, for example, withdrew government
funding from about half of its 39 research institutes. Most of
these were finding it extremely difficult to continue operating,
with most available funds going to pay retiree pensions and sustain
minimal operations.
"Moreover, as this is the last year of the 10th Five-year Plan
for national economy and social development, we need ensure smooth
transition of research projects to the next five-year period
staring next year."
Qu Zhenyuan, a CPPCC member and the Communist Party secretary of
China Agricultural University, said, "I think the 70 agricultural
higher education institutions and 370 agricultural secondary
schools should play a bigger role in promoting rural development to
bridge the yawning wealth gap between the cities and the
hinterland. The mission also requires accelerated reforms of
education and domicile systems."
Qi Lin is a CPPCC member who is vice director of the General
Office of State Council's Three Gorges Project Construction
Commission. Qi said, "I think the State Council has done a good job
in the past year, which is recognized by the people. However, more
work still needs be done by local and grass-roots governments as
well as central government, especially in environmental protection
and narrowing the income gap."
He also said the government needs to raise salaries of public
servants while cutting redundant grass-roots government employees
at and below the county level.
Qi noted that in recent years too much power has been going to
lower-level government planning departments, which is discordant
with the country's transformation from planned economy to a market
one.
In addition, he urged tougher and fairer measures to fight
corruption, which he said is spreading from government economic
agencies and state-owned companies to judicial and Party
organizations.
(China.org.cn by staff reporter Chen Chao, March 6, 2005)