Wednesday, August 29, 2001, updated at 08:26(GMT+8)
Business
China Plans Nationwide Inspection of Farmers' Fees
China will carry out a nationwide inspection of the fees charged to farmers, vice-premier Wen Jiabao said at a national teleconference Tuesday.
He told the provincial and county officials attending the conference that reducing the burden on farmers is a major criteria of rural officials to fulfill their duties.
The vice-premier reiterated the standard that fees levied on farmers shall not exceed five percent of their pure income from the previous year.
He called for action to reduce charges on pupils in poor areas, to cancel unjustified charges concerning the rural electricity supply and housing construction, and improve tax breaks and exemptions for disaster-stricken areas.