In a "Proposal on Agriculture and Rural Economic Work" published on the People's Daily Febuary 14, the CPC Central Committee and the State Council stress that China's agriculture and rural economy are facing new challenges and problems.

China has decided to make further efforts in restructuring its rural economy and improving the daily life of the farmers in 2000.

The proposal states, among other things, that it is imperative to comprehensively improve the quality and efficiency of agriculture and rural economy, and increase the income of farmers.

Restructuring efforts will primarily be focused on improving the quality of agricultural products by increasing marketable crops, accelerating the development of animal husbandry and farm produce processing, and optimizing the layout of agricultural regions.

Cultivated land must be put under strict protection to ensure grain production, while there will be drastic restructuring in therural labor force, with efforts being made to vigorously develop small towns and township enterprises in the rural areas.

Governments at all levels are required to concentrate on four major tasks during the restructuring. These include building a rural market system, popularizing agricultural technology among the farmers, and protecting the environment in the countryside.

The proposal also calls on efforts to develop rural infrastructure facilities, including the construction of water conservancy projects.

As part of the government's poverty elimination work, the proposal says efforts are needed to help another 10 million rural people get out of absolute poverty this year, while promoting socialist cultural and ethical development in the rural areas.