CPC Consult Non-Communist Parties on Agricultural Issue

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Tuesday, December 18, 2001

CPC Consult Non-Communist Parties on Agricultural Issue

Senior leaders of the Communist Party of China (CPC) consulted with nine Non-Communist parties, associations and personages with no party affiliation in Beijing Monday afternoon on the development of China's agriculture. During the discussion presided over by Jiang Zemin, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, leaders of the Non- Communist parties and associations, and personages put forward their ideas and suggestions on the agricultural issue.

Cooperation Shown in Profound Proposals

The leading officials have recently completed a five-month tour of investigation of rural China, visiting 58 counties, cities and prefectures in 10 provincial regions.

After listening to their discussions with other CPC leaders, including Premier Zhu Rongji, Vice-President Hu Jintao, Jiang thanked the speakers for their ideas and suggestions on the development of the country's agricultural and rural economy.

The general secretary described some of the ideas and proposals as profound, new and having insight, showing the close cooperation between non-Communist parties and the CPC.

He said more efforts should be made to create better conditions for the non-Communist parties and the All-China Federation of Commerce and Industry and personages without party affiliation should participate in and discuss government and political affairs.

New Ideas Discussed

Industrialization in Middle, Western China Emphasized

At the discussion, He Luli, chairman of 9th Central Committee of Revolutionary Committee of the Chinese Kuomintang, spoke of the need to promote the industrialization of agriculture in the major grain-producing areas in middle and western China.

Farmers' Income Should Be Raised

Ding Shisun, chairman of the 8th Central Committee of the China Democratic League and former president of Beijing University, offered his proposal to improve scientific and technological progress in agriculture and to raise the income of farmers.

Export-Oriented Agriculture to Be Expanded

Jiang Zhenghua, chairman of 12th Central Committee of Chinese Peasants and Workers Democratic Party said China, which has joined the World Trade Organization, should adapt itself by expanding export-oriented agriculture.

Agriculture and the stable growth of the incomes of China's 900 million rural dwellers has been one of the major concerns to both government leaders and the general public over the past decade.

Agriculture is Foundation of National Economy: Jiang

In summing up the discussion, CPC General Secretary Jiang said work on agriculture, the rural region and farmers is a matter of national importance for the CPC and the central government since China is a big agrarian country and most of the population live and work in rural areas.

Jiang described agriculture as the foundation of the national economy, adding that without sustained and stable agricultural development there would be no sustained, rapid and healthy national economic development.

Promoting agricultural and economic restructuring in rural China and increasing farmers' incomes will be a central task and basic goal in the new era, he said.

Jiang said China will continue to give full play to the initiative and creativity of its vast number of farmers.

Premier Zhu Vows to Improve Farmers' Incomes

The principal task of this year's economic work is to promote China's agricultural sector and improve farmers' incomes, said Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji at a meeting on China's current economic situation, which was jointly sponsored by the United Front Work Department of the Chinese Communist Party (CPC) Central Committee and the Ministry of Science and Technology on February 20.

Zhu pledged that the country will continue its current stable monetary policy and proactive fiscal policy, further deepen the reform of State-owned Enterprises (SOEs), and accelerate the pace of perfecting China's social insurance system, so as to better prepare for the implementation of the country's Tenth Five-Year Plan (2001-2005).

Wang Zhaoguo, vice chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and head of United Front Work Department of the CPC Central Committee, presided over the meeting, which was attended by more than 3,000 people, including senior government officials, non-communist party representatives, as well as scientists and technicians.

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