Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of figures
- List of tables
- Notes on contributors
- Preface
- List of acronyms
- PART I overview of domestic support issues and WTO rules
- PART II Developed countries: have high levels of support come down?
- PART III Developing countries: will low levels of support rise?
- 7 Brazil
- 8 India
- 9 China
- 10 Philippines
- PART IV Looking forward: can fair markets be achieved?
- Appendix A Domestic support provisions of the Agreement on Agriculture
- Appendix B Domestic support provisions of the Doha draft modalities
- Index
- References
9 - China
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 11 April 2011
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of figures
- List of tables
- Notes on contributors
- Preface
- List of acronyms
- PART I overview of domestic support issues and WTO rules
- PART II Developed countries: have high levels of support come down?
- PART III Developing countries: will low levels of support rise?
- 7 Brazil
- 8 India
- 9 China
- 10 Philippines
- PART IV Looking forward: can fair markets be achieved?
- Appendix A Domestic support provisions of the Agreement on Agriculture
- Appendix B Domestic support provisions of the Doha draft modalities
- Index
- References
Summary
Chinese agricultural policy has undergone some fundamental changes in the past decade, with major policy shifts in pricing, marketing, trade, investment, and technology. Most notably, China has implemented a series of new policies that directly favor the agricultural sector. These policies include direct payments to farmers, agricultural input subsidies, agricultural tax elimination, protective and minimum prices, dismantling of barriers to private entry into agricultural marketing channels, and increased spending on rural infrastructure, research and development. The policy changes have resulted in higher support for the agricultural sector, which has been documented in various studies. Considering this finding in combination with empirical evidence disclosing disprotection in agriculture in earlier periods, one can conclude that there has been a transition of government policy stance from taxing agriculture to supporting the sector. Recent economic growth has made these subsidy policy changes fiscally feasible.
The agricultural policy changes reflect the Chinese leadership's renewed attention to agricultural problems, concisely described in official documents as the San Nong issue (agriculture, rural areas, and peasants). The policy changes also arrived amidst a sharply widening rural–urban income gap as well as rising social unrest and political tension. In a series of No.1 Documents issued by the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party, it is reiterated that increasing farm incomes is at the top of the leadership's agenda.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- WTO Disciplines on Agricultural SupportSeeking a Fair Basis for Trade, pp. 310 - 352Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2011
References
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