Last year, the per-capita income of Chinese peasants
was less than one third of the level of urban residents. Official estimation put
the rural poverty population at 21.5 million.
And rural protests and petitions, prompted by land
expropriation, corruption, harsh law enforcement, have also become more frequent
in recent years.
One of Deng's most quoted slogans is "Let some people
get rich first, but the nation should finally move to equal prosperity." And it
seems that the second part of Deng's sentence had been increasingly addressed to
over the past few years.
The central leadership particularly has launched the
"develop-the-west" drive focusing on the vast and poor western regions and the
"revive the old northeastern industrial base" drive to boost the economy in
three northeastern provinces, where a large number of state factory workers were
laid off in the market economy reform in the 1990s.
According to official statistics, the central budget
allocated 1,114.2 billion yuan (139.3 billion U.S. dollars) to the construction
of rural regions, agriculture and the development of farmers during 2003 to
2006.
And the government has also phrased out an ancient
agricultural tax, set a bottom purchase price for major grain products, promised
free education for rural kids and worked hard to provide affordable health care
in good quality.
In his new year speech this year, Premier Wen Jiabao
called on officials to care about issues concerning the people's immediate
interests, saying it is the government's basic responsibility.
Income distribution, employment, education, medical
care are singled out by the premier as the core issues of people's concerns.
"Only after we wholeheartedly try to solve the
problems of the masses, can the people truly embrace us," Wen said.
Related:
Leaders extend Spring Festival greetings to people
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Chinese leaders attend a grand gathering in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing Feb. 16, 2007 to celebrate the upcoming Spring Festival, the Chinese Lunar New Year, which falls on Feb. 18 this year. (Xinhua Photo)
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