From our archives

June 4, 1984

Wuhan a pilot area for reforms

The State Council, the country's Cabinet, has decided to make Wuhan an experimental base for comprehensive economic reforms. Though Wuhan will remain the capital of Hubei province, it will have the economic management power equal to that of a province.

The city's existing economic management system will be changed to take full advantage of its strategic position.

The State Council decision stipulates an independent economic plan for Wuhan, and provincial departments dealing with it have to grant it autonomy as soon as possible.

Bumper harvest on the cards

The State Council issued a circular recently, urging all grain and edible oil purchasing departments to prepare for the coming summer harvest.

Another bumper summer harvest is expected this year despite natural disasters striking some parts of the country. Hence, the departments have been told to buy everything that peasants wish to sell to the State.

With this summer's harvest, more channels of trade in grains and edible oil will be opened after the State monopoly is relaxed further. After the State buys the grains and oil, rural cooperatives can sell them anywhere or buy more of them if they like. They can be sold in (or bought from) other counties, cities or even provinces.

Minorities hail autonomy law

More than 1,500 members of China's ethnic minorities gathered in Beijing over the weekend to celebrate the adoption of the law on regional autonomy for ethnic minorities.

They were joined by State leaders, including Peng Zhen, Chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, Ulanhu (Mongolian), Chinese vice-president, Seypidin (Uygur), vice-chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, and Yang Jingren (Hui), vice-chariman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference National Committee.

The new law was adopted at the second session of the 6th NPC concluded on Thursday. It will come into effect on October 1.

(China Daily 06/04/2009 page9)