China targets rural issues in central document(2)

It highlighted weaknesses in water conservancy infrastructure exposed by floods and drought in recent years, noting that the country will finish building effective flood control and drought relief systems by the end of 2020.

--- The No. 1 central document issued on Jan. 31, 2010, took "speeding up coordinated development between urban and rural areas and further cementing foundation of agricultural and rural area development" as its theme.

China will put more investment, subsidies, fiscal and policy supports into rural areas in 2010 and improve the livelihoods of rural residents, the document said.

It called for more efforts to maintain grain production, increase farmers' incomes and development momentum in rural areas.

--- The No. 1 central document issued on Feb. 1, 2009, took "achieving steady agricultural development and sustained income increases for farmers" as its theme.

The document highlighted challenges posed by the global downturn to agricultural and rural development. It urged authorities to take resolute measures to avoid declining grain production and to ensure the steady expansion of agriculture and rural stability.

--- The No. 1 central document issued on Jan. 30, 2008, took "fortifying the foundation of agriculture" as its theme.

The document ordered rapid development of an enduring mechanism for consolidating the foundation of agriculture, calling for more efforts to guarantee grain product safety and a balance between supply and demand, and between various grain products.

--- The No. 1 central document issued on Jan. 29, 2007, had "developing modern agriculture and steadily promoting the construction of a new socialist countryside" as its theme.

Modern equipment, science and technology, industrial systems, management and development ideas should be nurtured to improve the quality, economic returns and competitiveness of agriculture, the document said.

--- The No. 1 central document issued on Feb. 21, 2006, took "constructing a new socialist countryside" as its theme.

The document said constructing a new socialist countryside was the foremost task facing China in the 2006-2010 five-year period.