People's Daily: My question is about agriculture, rural areas and
farmers. I have noticed that in your report on the government's work, you said
these three issues remain top priorities in all your work. And you have proposed
specific measures to address these issues, including abolishing agricultural
taxes by the end of next year. What do you think is the fundamental solution to
these problems and the long-term plan?
Wen: Thank you. Your question has reminded me of remarks made by Nobel
laureate economist Theodore Schultz. He said most of the people in the world are
poor. So if we knew the economics of the poor, we would know much of the
economics that really matter. Most of the world's poor people earn their living
from agriculture. So if we knew the economics of agriculture, we would know much
of the economics of being poor.
I am no economist, but I am deeply aware of the paramount importance of
agriculture, rural areas and farmers in China. Without moderate prosperity in
the countryside, there will be no moderate prosperity for the whole country.
Without modernization in the countryside, there will be no modernization for the
whole country.
I do have a long-term plan for rural reform and development. It has two
phases. In the first phase, we introduced the basic economic system of a family
contract responsibility system, which in essence was to give greater autonomy to
the farmers in production and management. As a result, it has liberalized
productivity in the countryside.
In the second phase, we should make industry nurture agriculture and cities
support the countryside. We should give more to, take less from and liberalize
the countryside. I believe we have entered the second phase now. We must
accomplish four jobs for the second phase. One is to promote rural reforms with
rural tax and administrative fee reforms as the central task.
Second, we should improve productivity in the countryside by building water
conservancy projects and promoting wider applications of agriculture-related
science and technology.
Third, we should develop education, science, technology, culture and other
social undertakings in the countryside.
Fourth, we should promote primary-level democracy by ways of self-governance
among villagers, direct elections at the village level and greater transparency
in government affairs at the county and township levels.
