Rural regions' surge

If China's robust growth over the past three decades has told a successful underdog story of a developing country amid developed economies, it is time to set in motion a similar course at home. Balanced urban-rural progress is more crucial than ever to the country's sustainable development.

For the seventh consecutive year since 2004, the Chinese government has again focused its first central document of the year on rural development issues. Dubbed the "No 1 Document" that is jointly issued by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council, it is hoped that the new paper will allow rural China to catch up with its urban cousin.

Though last year was deemed the most difficult year so far for the Chinese economy in the new century, Chinese farmers' per-capita net income increased 8.5 percent in real terms to 5,153 yuan ($755).