China has set major tasks for its rural development in the 11th Five-Year Program (2006-2010) at a central work meeting closed in Beijing Thursday.

China's agriculture and countryside, still at the stage of mountain climbing, remain the weakest part of the national economy, said the meeting.

The government would spend more on the development of its agriculture and countryside including boosting infrastructure construction, it said.

More efforts would be paid to push forward a comprehensive reform in the rural areas, according to the meeting.

Steady improvement of grain production and ensuring the safety of nation's food supply are another important task for the country's rural development.

The rural land management policy would be maintained and the use of farmland would be strictly controlled, so as to guarantee the development of agriculture and the stability in the countryside, the meeting said.

It said farmer-turned migrant workers would be channeled off orderly to find jobs and be treated fairly in urban areas. Efforts would also be paid to develop economy of counties which would draw more farmer-turned workers.

China would continue to invest more in education and medical service in the countryside in a bid to improve public service there, said the meeting.

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China pledges to boost rural development

China will adopt more favorable policies and invest more heavily in the rural areas next year, according to a central work meeting on rural development which concluded in Beijing on Thursday.