China aims to double income of rural residents in 12 years

Source: Xinhua | 10-13-2008 09:22

BEIJING, Oct. 12 (Xinhua) -- China's ruling Communist Party said on Sunday that it would strive to double the per-capita disposable income of rural residents by 2020 from the 2008 level.

Photo taken on Oct. 12, 2008, shows all nine members of  the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the  Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee Hu Jintao (C),  Wu Bangguo (4th R), Wen Jiabao (4th L), Jia Qinglin (3rd R),  Li Changchun (3rd L), Xi Jinping (2nd R), Li Keqiang (2nd L),  He Guoqiang (1st R) and Zhou Yongkang (1st L) attend the  third Plenary Session of the 17th CPC Central Committee,  which was held from Oct. 9 to 12 in Beijing.(Xinhua/Li Xueren)

The goal was part of the decision made at the close of the third Plenary Session of the 17th Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, which focused on issues concerning rural reform and development.

Hu Jintao, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, delivered a work report at the four-day plenum, held from Oct. 9 to 12 in Beijing.

Hu Jintao, general secretary of the Communist Party of  China (CPC) Central Committee, delivers an important speech  at the third Plenary Session of the 17th CPC Central  Committee in Beijing, Oct. 12, 2008. The third Plenary  Session of the 17th CPC Central Committee was held from  Oct. 9 to 12 in Beijing.(Xinhua/Lan Hongguang)

The government would also boost consumption of rural residents by a big margin and basically eliminate absolute poverty in rural areas by 2020, according to a communique issued on the plenum's conclusion.

Per-capita disposable income was recorded at 4,140 yuan (605.6 U.S. dollars) in rural areas in 2007, a year-on-year gain of 9.5 percent in real terms. A rise of at least 6 percent was expected for 2008, according to a government report in March.

The rural population mired in absolute poverty was reduced to 15 million last year, down from 250 million in 1978.

Targets set at the plenum for rural reform and development till 2020 also included "improving the system of economic growth in the countryside and establishing a mechanism to integrate urban and rural areas in terms of economic growth and social development".

"The modernization of agriculture will advance with major progress, and agricultural productivity will be elevated to a higher level, with national grain security and product supplies guaranteed," said the communique.

The Central Committee also agreed a goal to improve grassroots democracy in the countryside, and vowed to guarantee equal public services in rural areas, such as education opportunities for all rural residents and better medical services and subsistence support.