China will allocate more public funds to rural areas through
reform and development, Vice Premier Hui
Liangyu said in Beijing Tuesday.
The move aims to bring the benefits of China's modernization
process to more Chinese farmers, Hui said at the international
symposium on public finance coverage of rural areas, which was
jointly held by the Ministry of Finance and
the World Bank.
Problems facing China's agriculture, rural area and farmers are
at the top of the Chinese government's agenda, said Hui.
China has witnessed farmers' enthusiasm for growing grain. Local
governments have paid more attention to agriculture and grain
plantation in recent years by offering better conditions to
farmers.
Rural production and living conditions have been greatly
improved as a result of infrastructure construction efforts in
rural areas and environmental improvement, he said.
According to Hui, new government funding in education, health,
culture and family planning will mainly be used in rural areas and
more efforts are being made to improve compulsory education in
rural areas and advance pilot projects for a new rural medical care
system.
China is endeavoring to build an assistance system for poor
people in rural areas step by step, start minimum standard of
living pilot projects for rural people in areas where conditions
permit, and increase funds allocated for poverty reduction, he
said.
Hui said China had proposed the great mission of building a new
socialist rural area in the 11th Five-Year Program of national
economic and social development from 2006 to 2010.
The Chinese government will continue to give priority to finding
solutions for problems facing agriculture, rural areas and farmers,
upholding the policy of coordinated development of urban and rural
areas and enhancing the public funding coverage in rural areas.
World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz attended and addressed the
opening ceremony of the symposium.
(Xinhua News Agency October 19, 2005)