572
Z. Ouyang
already busy dealing with unending problems, and cooperation is a must for environmental protection. Public coordination rarely happens unless major pollution events
involving the “three wastes” happen, and it vanishes as long as the moment is gone.
Developed countries also made strenuous efforts over a long period before finally
achieving a sound environment, but to maintain it, continuous large-sum investment
and waste transfer is required.
3 Solution of the Issue
After the reform and opening up was launched in China, the western economics
theory about its “urban-rural dual structure” gained much traction at one time. This
theory is of some reference value as it reveals certain laws of industrialization, but it
has the lethal flaw of ignoring the fundamental role of ecological environment and
takes the western model as the only choice. In the past few decades, China has always
paid close attention to the “Sannong” issue (agriculture, the countryside and farmers),
which indicates that the country has kept a distance from the “dual structure” theory.
There are many reasons why rural development has been lagging behind, but the
apotheosis of this theory is definitely the fundamental one. Many areas take “wiping
out the countryside” as a potential goal, and some even make “building towns without
farmlands” as the action guide. It is generally believed that we can depend on the
international market for food supply, but the fact is all industrialized powers are
at the same time major agricultural countries, particularly major food producers.
They haven’t adjusted their structure, but why are they so picky on ours? Some
would argue that this is because they have adopted the modern way of production,
they are advanced and we are backward. Yet the reality is the non-sustainability of
industrialized agriculture has long been exposed, while traditional agriculture, with
appropriate renovation, would become vibrant and organic. The market has shown
who is advanced and who is backward. The real purpose of confusing and deluding us
is to destroy our confidence and pave the way for their agricultural export. Luckily,
we were not fooled. Instead we have seen bumper harvest of grain for years in a
row. However, the current situation is far from optimistic. Large areas of farmland
have been left wasted or turned into construction site, which then is also abandoned,
and the little remaining farmland is mostly used to grow economic crops. Growing
economic crops is not a bad thing as it opens a way for farmers to live a better life.
The problem is China is too short of arable land, and it would be dangerous for a
country with over one billion people not to be self-sufficient in grain. To turn the
tables, we have to first abandon the blind belief in western economics theory and put
“Sannong” issue in a prominent position.
As a matter of fact, the real breach to truly resolve the “Sannong” issue is the
Beautiful Countryside initiative. There are three reasons for this. First, the countryside is not only the production area of food and biological raw materials, but also
the place where natural resources regenerate and renew and man and nature interact
directly. Beautiful countryside – the concept in itself is pleasant. The worsening
Z. Ouyang
already busy dealing with unending problems, and cooperation is a must for environmental protection. Public coordination rarely happens unless major pollution events
involving the “three wastes” happen, and it vanishes as long as the moment is gone.
Developed countries also made strenuous efforts over a long period before finally
achieving a sound environment, but to maintain it, continuous large-sum investment
and waste transfer is required.
3 Solution of the Issue
After the reform and opening up was launched in China, the western economics
theory about its “urban-rural dual structure” gained much traction at one time. This
theory is of some reference value as it reveals certain laws of industrialization, but it
has the lethal flaw of ignoring the fundamental role of ecological environment and
takes the western model as the only choice. In the past few decades, China has always
paid close attention to the “Sannong” issue (agriculture, the countryside and farmers),
which indicates that the country has kept a distance from the “dual structure” theory.
There are many reasons why rural development has been lagging behind, but the
apotheosis of this theory is definitely the fundamental one. Many areas take “wiping
out the countryside” as a potential goal, and some even make “building towns without
farmlands” as the action guide. It is generally believed that we can depend on the
international market for food supply, but the fact is all industrialized powers are
at the same time major agricultural countries, particularly major food producers.
They haven’t adjusted their structure, but why are they so picky on ours? Some
would argue that this is because they have adopted the modern way of production,
they are advanced and we are backward. Yet the reality is the non-sustainability of
industrialized agriculture has long been exposed, while traditional agriculture, with
appropriate renovation, would become vibrant and organic. The market has shown
who is advanced and who is backward. The real purpose of confusing and deluding us
is to destroy our confidence and pave the way for their agricultural export. Luckily,
we were not fooled. Instead we have seen bumper harvest of grain for years in a
row. However, the current situation is far from optimistic. Large areas of farmland
have been left wasted or turned into construction site, which then is also abandoned,
and the little remaining farmland is mostly used to grow economic crops. Growing
economic crops is not a bad thing as it opens a way for farmers to live a better life.
The problem is China is too short of arable land, and it would be dangerous for a
country with over one billion people not to be self-sufficient in grain. To turn the
tables, we have to first abandon the blind belief in western economics theory and put
“Sannong” issue in a prominent position.
As a matter of fact, the real breach to truly resolve the “Sannong” issue is the
Beautiful Countryside initiative. There are three reasons for this. First, the countryside is not only the production area of food and biological raw materials, but also
the place where natural resources regenerate and renew and man and nature interact
directly. Beautiful countryside – the concept in itself is pleasant. The worsening