Xi stresses rural reform, wants softer approach from officials

BEIJING - President Xi Jinping has called for deepened rural reform in China and strictly regulated use of officials' power. “Rural reform should be deepened energetically with the right orientation, and farmers' wishes should be respected,” Xi told a panel discussion of deputies from Anuhi Province attending the National People's Congress from Anhui.

Xi urged proper handling of issues related to farmers' land, saying that pilot programmes should be carried out to ensure that rural reform goes smoothly. Xi hopes Anhui Province, which spearheaded rural reform that broke up the previous commune-style collective farming, could make an even bigger stride on the way to building a moderately prosperous society.

After leaders at the Communist Party’s Third Plenum last year pledged to gradually allow the transfer and mortgage of farmers' land-use rights, Anhui announced that around 20 counties would pilot a new system of rural property transfers.

Rural reform is crucial to China’s urbanisation drive, as stronger land-use rights will enable farmers to sell their land, keep the proceeds, and have enough money to move into the cities.