The Law should be respected in deepening the Reform of Land system

Editor's note: general Secretary Xi Jinping recently presided over the fifth meeting of the Central leading Group for comprehensively deepening Reform in Beijing. The meeting examined the "opinions on guiding the orderly transfer of contracted Management Rights of Rural Land and the Development of appropriate scale Management of Agriculture" and "actively developing Peasants' Stock Cooperation to give Collective assets shareholding Rights and Reform pilot programs." All of them involve farmers and land.

General Secretary Xi pointed out at the meeting that in deepening the reform of the rural land system at the present stage, more consideration should be given to promoting China's agricultural modernization, and it is necessary to solve both agricultural and peasant problems, and embark on a road of agricultural modernization with Chinese characteristics.

So, what is the road of agricultural modernization with Chinese characteristics? What laws are intended to be emphasized and followed in the opinions and plans for the implementation of the reform of the rural land system announced by the central government this time?

Zhu Qizhen, a special commentator of China Rural Voice and an expert on agriculture, rural areas and farmers, believes that rural land reform, whether it is guiding land circulation, developing farmers' stock cooperation, and exploring the effective realization form of collective ownership, must abide by the law of agricultural development. abide by the law of the development of urban-rural relations, not for the sake of circulation and cooperation for the sake of shares.

The General Secretary's speech particularly emphasized three contents: first, it was emphasized that the development of agricultural scale operation should be commensurate with the process of urbanization, the progress of agricultural science and technology, and the degree of improvement in the means of production. This is the basis and necessary condition for the realization of agricultural scale operation, that is to say, only when the complete non-agricultural transfer of farmers has been realized in the process of urbanization, and when farmers no longer regard agricultural production and land as the main source of income, in order to have the conditions for agricultural scale. Scale operation also depends on the progress of agricultural science and technology and the improvement of production means. Without modern agricultural equipment, it is also unrealistic to engage in scale operation. Second, it is necessary to highlight the dominant position of farmers. The General Secretary stressed that farmers should be allowed to become active participants and real beneficiaries of moderate scale operation of land, and should not ignore the basic agricultural situation that ordinary farmers operating their own contracted farmland still account for the majority, and should not be one-sided in pursuit of speed and size. In practice, there is a tendency to blindly advocate harmony with foreign countries, and seize the day without respecting the characteristics and laws of agriculture. Peasant household management is the most suitable organizational form for agricultural production, as long as the characteristics of agricultural production remain unchanged, this adaptability will not change. This law of agricultural development should be respected. Industrial and commercial enterprises lease contracted land for farmers is a special behavior, not a universal law, so "it is necessary to have a strict threshold, establish a system of qualification examination, project examination, and risk guarantee fund, and make clear provisions on the access and supervision system." to prevent the emergence of non-agricultural phenomena.

Zhu Qizhen believes that in the process of land circulation, urbanization, and agricultural modernization, it is necessary to protect the interests of farmers and respect their dominant position. However, in the view of Hu Liangbo, a farmer observer of China Rural Voice, in the current actual situation of rural land transfer, there are indeed some local governments that go against the wishes of farmers and harm their interests.

Hu Liangbo, a farmer observer, said: "some local governments still have some village cadres in the circulation of peasant land, and they feel that this is a kind of task. some village-level cadres are in the age of aging, with outdated ideas and heavy ideas of coercion and oppression. the point of view for the common people is: you have to listen to the leadership and make trouble. Some of the land in circulation, it is said that the circulation funds of this mu of land have exceeded the production funds, but they are still in circulation. "

Zhu Qizhen, commentator of China Rural Voice, said: "in view of this phenomenon, the third point emphasized in this regulation is that land reform should respect the wishes of farmers and should not lead the administration around. Farmers are the main body of agricultural production and the main body of the protection of cultivated land. No matter what kind of farmers are developed, it is unthinkable to exclude farmers. Therefore, respecting the wishes of farmers is an important condition for maintaining agricultural security. The transfer of land shall not harm the rights and interests of farmers, change the use of land or destroy the comprehensive production capacity of agriculture. In practice, we see that harming the interests of farmers is often associated with harming agricultural development and destroying and plundering the use of land. It is necessary to respect the wishes of the peasants, adhere to the voluntary transfer of land management rights in accordance with the law, and do not engage in coercive orders or administrative orders. The phenomenon of administrative blind command exists, which reflects that some local governments lack a basic understanding of the laws of agriculture, as well as a basic sense of overall situation and social responsibility. "