Inspectors to stem loss of farmland  By Cao Desheng (China Daily)  Updated: 2006-07-25 06:45   
 
 
Like other developing countries, the key problem China faces in its path 
towards modernization is urbanization. 
 Only 515 million, or around 40 per cent of the 1.3 billion population, were 
urbanites as of the end of 2003, compared with an average 70 per cent in 
developed countries. 
 China's arable land has reduced from 130 million hectares in 1996 to 122 
million hectares last year; and per capita arable land is 0.093 hectares, only 
one-third of the global average. 
 While strengthening efforts to curb the loss of farmland, 
the central government has mapped out policies to provide farmers with 
reemployment training and other social security guarantees.   
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