China issues guideline for enhancing rural governance

BEIJING - The General Offices of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and the State Council on Sunday published a guideline for enhancing rural governance.

By 2020, China aims to develop an institution structure and policy system for modern rural governance, with the primary-level CPC organizations playing a leading role, self-governance by villagers further enhanced, consultation systems about village affairs better established and the level of rural governance raised, according to the document.

By 2035, the country plans to advance rural public services, governance and public security, and perfect the Party-led rural governance model which combines self-governance, rule of law, and rule of virtue.

The guideline listed 17 main tasks including improving systems and mechanisms of rural governance led by village Party organizations, regulating affairs managed by village organizations, honing villagers' ability of self-governance, introducing various consultation mechanisms about village affairs, providing better cultural services for rural residents, ensuring law and order and fighting corruption at the primary level.

Party committees and governments at all levels were told to put rural governance as a priority of their work, enhance coordination and pool resources from different departments.

They should also spend more resources in training rural officials at the primary level and encourage local business people, migrant workers, college graduates and veterans to return to villages and play a constructive role in rural governance.