Keywords: Rural incomes to grow as China encourages new business models, Abe to cool Diaoyu tensions, China lashes against US bill

Rural incomes to grow as China encourages new business models

China seeks to protect farmers' land rights and new business models in a bid to further boost the nation's agricultural development next year, according to the Central Rural Work Conference that concluded Saturday.

The annual meeting, which sets the tone for the coming year's agricultural and rural development, aroused Chinese media concerns over the challenges and suggestions to improve the nation's basic rural system, especially farmers' land rights and income.

People's Daily pointed out in an editorial on Saturday that China's rural areas face a slew of challenges amid urbanization, including migration to urban areas, rising agricultural production costs and environmental challenges such as weather and water shortages.

"The changing countryside poses a threat to the nation's efficient supply of major agricultural products as more of the rural labor force moves to city centers, more farmers get involved in business other than agriculture and the rural population ages," said the editorial.

Accordingly, the Xinhua News Agency pointed out that China needs to clarify farmland contract rights and the compensation system for land use to make full use of the land's asset value.

"The government should also increase support for new types of businesses like family farms and cooperatives," the article quoted Wang Shiyuan of the Ministry of Land and Resources in a report on Saturday as saying.

Farmers' incomes should increase at a steady pace, or even faster than those of urban residents, the article said, suggesting the government extend the coverage of subsidies to benefit more farmers, including upgrading agricultural machinery and raising the nation's minimum grain purchase price.

The article also suggested the government set aside a public services budget for migrant workers, reform the dual household registration system and improve housing projects for farmers in land claim cases.

Similarly, financial news website ce.cn reported that with population increases and environmental issues, water shortages could have an increasing negative effect on rural development, according to Wang Aiguo, director of the Department of Rural Water Resources under the Ministry of Water Resources.

"Water supply determines whether China can harvest billions of kilograms of more grain a year," Wang told ce.cn, urging the government to complete a national irrigation scheme to make full use of the water resources and put a scientific nationwide irrigation scale, layout and development model in place.

Large and medium-sized irrigation areas should establish matched water-saving projects and drainage pumping stations to ensure the whole nation's agricultural harvest, while governments with small-scale irrigation farmlands should expand their river drainage and rain collection projects.

Irrigation efficiency should be improved. Furthermore, the report also encouraged grassroots organizations to educate farmers on irrigation techniques by setting up irritation pilot stations to ensure stable yields no matter the weather.

Abe to cool Diaoyu tensions, China lashes against US bill

Shinzo Abe, leader of Japan's Liberal Democratic Party and newly elected prime minister, will delay the dispatch of officials to the Diaoyu Islands, according to the Kyodo News Agency.

The move, together with his expressed interest in sending a special envoy to China once he takes office, are two signs that analysts say show Japan's intentions to ease Sino-Japan tensions over the Diaoyu row.

Guangzhou Daily reported on Sunday that Abe is likely trying to repair his "hawkish" image by delaying the dispatch of Japanese officials and claiming not to have organized memorial activities on a set of disputed islets between Japan and South Korea.

Similarly, CRI Online ran an article on Sunday saying that Abe's tough stance on the Diaoyu Islands, including claims of Japan's "sovereignty" after winning the election, was merely a move to win votes, according to Qu Xing, director of the China Institute of International Studies.

"Abe has to take bilateral relations into consideration since it's not possible for him to ignore them any longer," said Qu, adding that Abe will "take practical measures to handle conflicts with his neighbors."

"It's very possible Abe will send a special envoy to China after he takes office to show to the Japanese that he can fulfill his campaign promises while also keeping bilateral conflicts from getting out of control," said Qu.

Abe's move follows the US Senate's approval of an amendment to the 2013 National Defense Authorization Act that acknowledges Japan's administration over the Diaoyu Islands yet takes no position on their ultimate sovereignty. 

The approval triggered heated reactions in Chinese media, many of which voiced arguments against looming US intervention.

People's Daily commented that although the amendment is not legally binding, the approval in itself is an intervention of China's sovereignty and undermines regional stability.

Some Japanese media outlets have already taken advantage of the passed amendment as proof of US support, said the article.

Similarly, the Beijing News held on Sunday that this latest action reflects the unbalanced attitude of some US politicians toward China's rapid development.

"They are taking the Diaoyu row as an excuse to curb China's growth," said the Beijing News, adding that "the approval of such amendments might encourage further arrogance from the Japanese right."

However, CRI Online suggested that the approval does not mean that the US will resort to military intervention despite the US' previous agreement with Japan.

"The US has to consider its own interests and must follow protocol before intervening," said the Website.