China's rural reform and development faces many difficulties and challenges, said the policy paper issued on Sunday by the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee.

Despite the ongoing reform in rural areas and increasing participation in global cooperation and competition, many problems, especially deep-seated ones caused by urban and rural inequalities, still exist, the paper said.

The Decision on Major Issues Concerning the Advancement of Rural Reform and Development was approved by the CPC Central Committee on Oct. 12 at a plenary session.

The following are difficulties and challenges listed in the paper the rural reform and development faces:

-- The extensive type of agricultural development, backward agricultural infrastructure and technical equipment, greatly reduced arable land, growing influence of climate change, and increasingly frequent natural disasters, all these are increasing the pressure of maintaining food security and the demand-supply balance of agricultural products.

-- Social undertakings and public service in rural areas remain low-level, and residents' income gap between rural and urban areas is widening.

-- Some rural grassroots units are weak and lax. The democracy and legal system in rural areas needs to be strengthened.

-- The rural economic system needs to be improved and agricultural production and operation needs to be better organized.

-- The marketing system for agricultural products, the socialized service system for agriculture and national agricultural support and protection system remain to be improved.

-- The construction of urban-rural integral economic and social system is an urgent request.

The paper concluded the foundation of agriculture remains weak, rural areas still lagged behind in development and increases in farmers' income was still difficult.

(Xinhua News Agency October 20, 2008)