The "Chinese Economists 50 Forum," held its annual meeting in
Beijing on February 11 and discussed "the major characteristics and
challenges of China's reform and development in new period." This
drew to a close a two-year long debate on the subject.
The meeting allowed economists to make their views known in
response to two-year-long nationwide debate on the subject.
Many problems had arisen with the deepening of reform – the
growing gap between the rich and poor, worsening environmental
problems and corruption. People had a range of views on past reform
measures but the subjects under discussion focused on two topics –
the economic growth model and the gains and losses of reforms in
past decades.
"Indeed, China's reform and development is entering a fresh new
period," said 76-year-old Wu Jinglian, a senior State Council
Development Research Center researcher. Wu is also an active
supporter of China's market-oriented reform. His research work
assisted in paving the way for many of the country's reforms in the
past 20 years.
Many of the current economic and social systems and relevant
reforms required further work. And in some areas significant
difficulties remained. .
He pointed out that changes in some key economic fields were
required such as joint-stock reform of large state-owned
enterprises, the reform of the administrative and equity systems of
monopolized industries and the market-oriented allocation of basic
resources were all encountering many obstacles and accordingly
progress was slow.
A legal environment, essential to secure operations in a modern
market economy, had not been put in place. Meanwhile, public
services like education and social security were being weakened
instead of strengthened. It was also difficult for the extensive
economic growth model to be intensified.
"All these indicate to us that it is necessary and urgent for us
to reflect upon the gains and losses of reform, recognize its
problems and nail down future trends," Wu said.
"China is facing another historical turning point," said Huangpu
Ping, former deputy editor-in-chief of the People's Daily,
an organ of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central
Committee.
"During the massive transformation of economic systems many
conflicts were caused by the immature market economy and the
inefficient mechanisms of the marketplace which came from defects
in market economy or it's mechanisms."
In her speech Wu Xiaoling, deputy governor of the central ,
recognized the existence of different interest groups. "China's
reform has entered a new phase of interest pattern adjustment.
"It makes good sense to recognize the existence of interest
groups, co-ordinate the interests of the different groups and seek
common ground when making and amending legislation," she said.
(China.org.cn by Tang Fuchun, February 23, 2006)