Balancing urban-rural progress

China's first central document of the year has again focused on rural problems, just as it has done for the past six years since 2004.

The themes of the previous top central documents, beginning in 2004, were respectively: Increasing the income of farmers; promoting agricultural production capacity; advancing the construction of the "new countryside"; developing modern agriculture; strengthening agricultural infrastructure construction; and promoting the stable development of agriculture and increasing the income of farmers in 2009.

In contrast, the top central document this year focuses on coordinating urban-rural development, which indicates that solutions for issues concerning agriculture, the countryside and farmers will not be sought independently.