Science and Technology Daily:

We understand that rural governance is a key and challenging aspect of modernizing the national governance system and governance capacity. So, how can we address the current prominent problems in rural governance and improve the level of rural governance?

Han Wenxiu:

China's rural areas are undergoing major changes, including profound shifts in the size and structure of rural population, ways of life and work, way of thinking and cultural concepts, and the traditional rural order. These changes have put forward new requirements for modernizing the rural governance system and governance capacity. The "No. 1 central document" for 2024 focused on improving the level of rural governance and made arrangements in several aspects.

First, strengthening primary-level Party organizations in rural areas. As the saying goes, a train can only run fast because of its locomotive. Primary-level Party organizations serve as the "locomotive" in driving the development of various rural undertakings. The document emphasizes advancing rural revitalization through Party-building and keeping a clear focus on the primary level in strengthening Party organizations. The Party committees at the county level should ensure their role in promoting the development of townships in a bid to boost the development of villages, effectively playing the political and organizational functions of the primary-level Party organizations in rural areas. Currently, Party committees at village and township levels take on many responsibilities and have limited resources and heavy burdens, so it is crucial to address the problem of "a little horse pulling a big cart" in community-level governance. A strict entry system for higher-level departments' involvement in grassroots affairs must be implemented, along with a sound list of grassroots responsibilities and tasks. It is essential to strengthen management responsibilities of towns and townships over representative offices and personnel of county-level departments, increase the allocation of staffing resources to townships, optimize various agriculture-related inspections and assessments, and reduce the burden of superfluities surrounding inspections and assessments. This will allow grassroots Party committees to focus more on connecting with the people and serving the people. 

Second, improving the rural governance system under the Party's leadership. The key is to continue to shift the focus of social governance to the community level, channel resources down to the community level, and combine traditional governance resources with modern governance methods. The document calls for applying and further developing the "Fengqiao model" in the new era and implementing the practices of going into communities to communicate the Party's lines and policies, carry out research and studies, address people's complaints, and conduct fieldwork, improving mechanisms for preventing social tensions and disputes at the source, screening and providing early warnings, and settling issues through multiple means. It also calls for promoting effective methods, such as the accumulated points system and the list system, to resolve problems at the community level and nip them in the bud. Some areas have been struggling with recurring natural disasters and safety incidents for a long period. The document emphasizes the need to promote the construction of disaster prevention and mitigation projects in rural areas, an information-based emergency management system, and public fire safety facilities, aiming to enhance risk avoidance, self-rescue, and mutual rescue capabilities. Additionally, the document calls for continued efforts to crack down on various illegal activities to make rural areas safer.

Third, enhancing public civility in rural areas. The modernization of agriculture and rural areas should cohere with material and cultural-ethical advancement. We adhere to the combination of dredging and blocking, addressing both symptoms and root causes via a two-pronged approach. On one hand, we must ensure the supply of high-quality cultural and intellectual products, promote a flourishing rural culture, and strengthen the protection, inheritance, and innovative development of fine rural traditional culture. In recent years, activities like "village BA" basketball tournaments, "village super league" football games, and "village spring festival galas" have been very popular. This year, many activities were held across the country during the Spring Festival holidays, empowering farmers to take the lead, and ensuring that mass cultural and sports activities thrive and flourish. On the other hand, priority should be given to addressing undesirable rural customs. In some regions, extravagant weddings and funerals have become a heavy burden on farmers, causing significant distress. The document calls for a comprehensive approach to address the pressing issues of excessive betrothal gifts and lavish weddings and funerals, promoting social reforms so as to provide farmers with more convenient social services. It also calls on empowering the system of villager autonomy and strengthening the incentive and constraint functions of village rules and regulations, aiming to eliminate bad habits and foster new trends in rural areas. Thank you.