From our archives

May 30, 1984

Anhui's prefecture sees rise in public funds

Chuxian prefecture in Anhui province, a pioneer in the rural production responsibility system, has reported a large growth in public funds because of contribution from peasants over the past five years.

The prefectural statistical department said the prefecture, which includes seven counties and 250 communes, has accumulated 180 million yuan since 1979 when the contract responsibility system was introduced. This amount is almost equivalent to the value of the total fixed assets of all the communes in the prefecture in 1978.

Shashi's reforms should set an example

The city of Shashi in Hubei province, already successful in its experiments in economic reform, should be given more reins in development by the province and State both.

In April 1981, the State gave free rein to three medium-sized cities - Chongqing in Sichuan, Changzhou in Jiangsu and Shashi in Hubei - to experiment with urban economic reform.

Although Shashi's population is just 188,000, its sales of industrial products in 1983 reached 1 billion yuan. Exports contributed 100 million yuan to the total. New reforms were credited for bringing about Shashi's strong economic change.

(China Daily 05/29/2009 page9)