Chinese ministries 'may have watered down' plans for farming reform and modernisation

Modernisation of farming in China will top the agenda at the government’s annual key agricultural policy meetings due to be held on Monday and Tuesday, mainland media reported.

However, the Caixin media group said the latest draft of the long-awaited proposals focusing on rural land reforms might have been watered down by ministries.

The Central Rural Work Conference on December 22 and 23 would also consider the forthcoming party and central government’s policy document – usually the first one to be issued every year – focusing on rural reforms, Caixin said.

Next year’s “No 1” policy document was likely to expand on existing policy directives involving agricultural modernisation and rural reforms, it said.

At a meeting of the Central Leading Group for Overall Reform, chaired by President Xi Jinping earlier this month, officials considered a proposal for pilot reforms involving rural land confiscation, the sale and acquisition of non-farming rural land, and the administration of residential land in rural areas.

However, the statement issued after the meeting revealed few details about the proposals.

The government focused on a more balanced and coordinated development between the country’s rural and urban areas in its rural policy document at the start of this year.

It also set out policies on expanding rural consumptions and strengthening rural financial services.