Chinese rural reform:experience, problems and the future

HAN Jun (韩俊)
Department of Rural Economy, Development Research Center of State Council

Editorial Note:China’s rural reform was launched 30 years ago in 1978, starting from the household responsibility system initiated spontaneously by poor farmers in Xiaogang Village in Anhui Province. Over the following three decades, China achieved remarkable accomplishments in rural development and radically transformed the countryside. What are those specific accomplishments? What kind of experience has been gained? What new problems does China’s rural reform face at its new stage under new situation? How should policy makers address these new issues? As an expert who has long been engaged in rural studies, the author provides a thorough and profound account of these issues. Such an account offers invaluable insight into the ways to deepen China’s rural reform.

I. China’s major accomplishments and basic experience in rural reform
During the past three decades, China’s rural reform has made a series of breakthroughs and remarkable achievements. First and foremost, China tore down the people’s commune fence and introduced the household contract responsibility system. This has to date been the most substantial change in rural China.
Second, China lifted the state monopoly on purchasing and marketing and let the market mechanism play a vital role in agricultural resource distribution.