In 2002 the 16th National Congress of the CPC (Communist Party of China) put forth the strategy of "coordinating the economic and social development of urban and rural areas." In 2003 the Third Plenary Session of the 16th CPC Central Committee pinpointed the establishment of a system that would facilitate the gradual deactivation of the dual urban-rural structure as a main priority in its work of improving and perfecting the socialist market economic system. Later, at its fifth plenary session, the 16th CPC Central Committee declared that the construction of "a new socialist countryside" is an important historic task of the Communist Party of China.

Foreword

Chapter 1 Coordinated Urban and Rural Development Is a Must for Rural Development and the Building of a Harmonious Society

Ⅰ. The Birth of the Coordinated Urban and Rural Development Concept

Ⅱ. Factors Responsible for Inharmonious Urban and Rural Development

Ⅲ. Significance of Harmonious Urban and Rural Development

Chapter 2 Agricultural Modernization

Ⅰ. New Countryside Construction and Agricultural Modernization

Ⅱ. Agricultural Modernization Strategies and Policies

Ⅲ. Agricultural Modernization Development Roads and Modes

Chapter 3 Perfecting the Rural Governance Mechanism

Ⅰ. Practice and Exploration in the Rural Governance Mechanism Reform

Ⅱ. Theoretical Designs for Reform of the Rural Autonomy Mechanism

Ⅲ. Basic Ideas Concerning the Coordination of Urban and Rural Development and Reform of the Rural Governance Mechanism

Chapter 4 Development of Rural Social Undertakings

Ⅰ. Rural Education

Ⅱ. The Development of the Medical and Public Health Service System in Rural China

Ⅲ. Rural Cultural Undertakings

Chapter 5 Ecological Protection for Agriculture

Ⅰ. Eco-environmental Crisis Looms in Chinese Agriculture

Ⅱ. Impact of Economic Growth on the Eco-environment

Ⅲ. A Worsening Environment Jeopardizes Agriculture

Ⅳ. Enhancing Measures of Environmental Control in Rural China

Chapter 6 Giving Impetus to Rural Development

Ⅰ. Reforms of the Household Registration

Ⅱ. Fiscal and Taxation Reforms in Regard to the Rural Economy

Ⅲ. Reform of the Investment and Financing System of Rural Economy

Ⅳ. Reform of Rural Land System

Ⅴ. Reform on the Social Security System in Rural China

Ⅵ. Methods to Improve the Social Security System in Rural Areas