Top leaders at the Third Plenary Session of the 15th CPC Central Committee (Ql TIEYAN)

The CPC Central Committee's 185 members and 148 alternate members reached a consensus on the importance of agriculture, rural work in general, and farmers in China's reforms, opening up and modernization at the Third Plenary Session of the 15th CPC Central Committee, held in Beijing from October 12-14.

The agricultural base, its development and the rural economy need to be strengthened to increase farmers' incomes, they said.

The session stressed that all policies should boost the economic vitality of rural areas; that the country should rely on farmers to increase and expand production by applying modern scientific methods and technological knowledge; and that the standards of the farmers' material and cultural lives should be improved.

Participants agreed specific measures must be taken to enhance the development of rural grass roots democracy and the legal system, and to promote socialist ethical and cultural progress and in building Party organizations and the contingent of cadres, to maintain balanced rural economic and social development and rural social stability.

To fulfill the grand trans-century development goals outlined at the 15th National Congress of the CPC, efforts must be made to strengthen agriculture as the foundation of the national economy, ensure sustained agricultural and rural economic development, along with the steady increase in farmers' income and maintain stability in rural areas.

The session examined and approved the "Resolution of the CPC Central Committee on Several Major Issues Concerning Agriculture and Rural Work."