温家宝总理2006年两会答中外记者问(节选)*
《农民日报》记者：总理，您好!我是《农民日报》社记者。在今年“两会”期间，代表委员以及社会各界关注度最高的一个话题就是建设社会主义新农村。据我们所知，我国的经济体制改革是从农村开始的，中央也一直非常重视“三农”问题，从今年起全部免除农业税，中央财政支农资金达到3397亿元。请问总理，现在为何还要专门提出建设社会主义新农村?建设新农村与中央过去一贯的农村政策是什么关系?谢谢?
温家宝总理：农业、农村和农民问题是关系现代化建设全局的根本性问题。我想回答一下关于提出建设社会主义新农村的深层次的三点考虑。
第一，建设社会主义新农村就是把农业和农村工作放在了现代化建设全局的更加突出的位置。通过工业反哺农业、城市支持农村，促进农村的小康和农业的现代化，这是整个现代化建设的一个重大步骤。
我还想提出一点，加强农业和农村建设是一着活棋，这一步走好了，就能够带动内需和消费，从而使中国的经济发展建立在更加坚实的基础上。
第二，建设社会主义新农村的着眼点是发展现代农业，提高农业的综合生产能力。我们之所以提出要加强农村基础设施建设和农村各项社会事业的发展，就是为了改善农民的生产和生活条件。
第三，建设社会主义新农村必须坚持两条根本原则。一是保障农民的民主权利，特别是土地承包经营的自主权。尊重农民的意愿，不搞强迫命令。二是让农民得到实实在在的利益，要把提高农民的物质文化生活贯彻始终，并且作为检验的标准。讲求实效，不搞形式主义。
“温家宝总理2006年两会答中外记者问”参考译文：
Journalist: I would like to ask why it is necessary to specially set forth the policy of building a new socialist countryside. What is the relationship between the policy of building a new socialist countryside and the previous and consistent policies of the central authorities towards rural areas?
Premier Wen Jiabao: The issues concerning agriculture, rural areas and farmers are fundamental ones bearing on the overall interests of China’s modernization drive. To answer this question, I would like to share with you the three deep considerations of us in Setting up the policy of building a new socialist countryside.
To build a new socialist countryside, we mean to figure the work in agricultural and rural work more prominently in our agenda of modernization. And also, we believe that we need to introduce a policy to make industries nurturing the development of agriculture, and make cities supporting the development of rural areas.
But this move will be able to facilitate our efforts to build a society of moderate prosoperoty in the countryside and modernize China’s agricultural sector. This is a major significant step taking in the overall modernization of the country. I would also like to say that we need to strengthen the development of the countryside and agriculture. This is a key and very significant step because if we can properly take this step, it will go a long way towards boosting domestic demand and consumption in the country. And that will certainly build China’s economy and society on a more solid grouned.
In modernizing China’s agriculture sector, we need to start with the improvement of modern agricultural capacity as well as overall agricultural capacity. The very reason why we focus on the development of infrastructure and all kinds of social programmes in China’s countryside is to improve living and producting conditions of Chinese farmer’s.
No. 3 To build a new socialist countryside, we must adhere to the following two basic principles. No.1, we need to respect the democratic rights of the farmers, especially their rights to independently farm in their contracted land. we need to respect the will of the people in rural areas. And we need to refrain from coercion or using administrative means. No.2, we need to deliver tragible benefits to farmers. We need to make a reality of our goal of improving farmers’ material and cultural existence. And we need to use this as a yardstick to measure our progress and performance. We need to place emphasis on practical results rather than go in for formalism.
