A senior government official said Monday that for the time being the country's social security system is not able to shelter the total population of 800 million in rural areas.
Chen Xiwen, vice director of the Development Research Center of the State Council, told a press conference that the social security of farmers is a very complicated issue. The social security system for urban residents is still under construction and far from complete.
However, he said, this does not mean that the central government does not pay attention to farmers' social security, on the contrary, the government has made great efforts in farmers' social security. The land contract system for rural families has actually provided a reliable living source for most farmers.
(Xinhua News Agency March 10, 2003)
