SCIO briefing on 2017 government work report
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E-mail China.org.cn, March 6, 2017
Lianhe Zaobao:
In regard to your response about the Japanese journalist on the issue of military spending, we, in spite of flipping several times through the government work report and budget report issued by the Ministry of Finance, didn't find any data that relates to the defense budget, which some media have accused lacking transparency.
Huang Shouhong:
We have nothing to hide, as the NPC spokeswoman Madam Fu Ying said during yesterday's press conference that the general growth, which constitutes 1.3 percent of the GDP, is around 7 percent, a comparatively low rate in the international community. The average military spending in the world last year was 2.4 percent, while, some countries, that I do not intend to name here today, have spending that far exceeds the rate.
China Chemical Industry News:
My question is on behalf of the concerns of our farmer friends, who care most about the significance of modern agriculture being managed in appropriate scales. Like you said, there will be insurance for disasters launched in the 13 provinces which are considered as the country's major crops producers. It seems like the first time that the insurance for disasters has enjoyed such priority. What are the reasons for the government work report to address the issue and how should we implement the policy? For instance, who will pay for the premiums, the growers or the government, how to define the disasters, and to what extent will they be evaluated?
Huang Shouhong:
The significance of the three major agricultural issues (namely, agriculture, rural areas and farmers) is obvious. It is logically correct to develop massive production as long as the agriculture is involved in the drive towards modernization. As I've said, the diversified forms of farming at appropriate large scales face the risk of market volatility and, worst of all, natural disasters. Within its interconnected processes of natural and economic reproduction, the farmers may have a good harvest when the weather and the market are fine. But if there is a disaster, the investment amassed throughout the years will all be gone. Agricultural insurance in China has developed rapidly during the past few years, ranking second around the world by the size of premiums and covering all major field crops. The Chinese government has made considerable progresses with the program from which insurance coverage can be granted. The Green Box Policies are among the fundamentals adopted by all governments in the world to support their agricultural industries. Despite systematic insurance in our country, there are still weaknesses, such as the lacking of disaster insurance for the farmers on mass production. So the government work report decided this time that the adoption of disaster insurance in 13 major provinces should be considered an important measure to be carried forward.
In view of its implementation, the government will play a major role in supporting the disaster insurance, of which the premium will be paid mostly by the government. If we ask the farmers to pay for it, it would become a business-like model that would be a different story. How can we ensure its implementation? The government work report pointed out that we should dedicate portions of anti-disaster funds to cover the costs of insurance, while supporting it and increasing its efficacy. In other words, the central government, with colossal annual anti-disasters funds, will spare parts of them in the form of insurance premiums to guarantee the interests of farmers who have succumbed to disasters.
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