The leading officials have recently completed a five-month tour of investigation of rural China, visiting 58 counties, cities and prefectures in 10 provincial regions.

After listening to their discussions with other CPC leaders, including Premier Zhu Rongji, Vice-President Hu Jintao, Jiang thanked the speakers for their ideas and suggestions on the development of the country's agricultural and rural economy.

The general secretary described some of the ideas and proposals as profound, new and having insight, showing the close cooperation between non-Communist parties and the CPC.

He said more efforts should be made to create better conditions for the non-Communist parties and the All-China Federation of Commerce and Industry and personages without party affiliation should participate in and discuss government and political affairs.

New Ideas Discussed

• Industrialization in Middle, Western China Emphasized

At the discussion, He Luli, chairman of 9th Central Committee of Revolutionary Committee of the Chinese Kuomintang, spoke of the need to promote the industrialization of agriculture in the major grain-producing areas in middle and western China.

• Farmers' Income Should Be Raised

Ding Shisun, chairman of the 8th Central Committee of the China Democratic League and former president of Beijing University, offered his proposal to improve scientific and technological progress in agriculture and to raise the income of farmers.

• Export-Oriented Agriculture to Be Expanded

Jiang Zhenghua, chairman of 12th Central Committee of Chinese Peasants and Workers Democratic Party said China, which has joined the World Trade Organization, should adapt itself by expanding export-oriented agriculture.

Agriculture and the stable growth of the incomes of China's 900 million rural dwellers has been one of the major concerns to both government leaders and the general public over the past decade.

Agriculture is Foundation of National Economy: Jiang

In summing up the discussion, CPC General Secretary Jiang said work on agriculture, the rural region and farmers is a matter of national importance for the CPC and the central government since China is a big agrarian country and most of the population live and work in rural areas.

Jiang described agriculture as the foundation of the national economy, adding that without sustained and stable agricultural development there would be no sustained, rapid and healthy national economic development.

Promoting agricultural and economic restructuring in rural China and increasing farmers' incomes will be a central task and basic goal in the new era, he said.

Jiang said China will continue to give full play to the initiative and creativity of its vast number of farmers.

(People's Daily December 18, 2001)