China Trying To Stop Unreasonable Fees Farmers Are Made To Pay

BEIJING, August 2 (Xinhua) -- The State Council has forwarded a circular from the Ministry of Agriculture and other departments that asks local governments and departments to take steps to relieve the burden farmers have from unreasonable fees.

The circular says that in some places, government policies to cut the burden farmers have to bear have not been properly implemented and this destroys farmers' incentive and in turn affects the reforms and development and stability in rural areas.

The Ministry of Agriculture and other departments have suggested 8 ways to give farmers relief that include a stricter observation of tax laws and policies.

Farmers can have their own say in deciding how to pay taxes, the circular says. Only the central government has the right to legislate taxes and local governments are not entitled to change or adjust tax laws and policies and can not collect fees that are called taxes.

The circular asks local governments to arrange for checks on these unreasonable burdens placed on farmers and to solve any problems they discover.