By Zhao Junchao, Research Department of Rural Economy, DRC

Research Report, No.330, 2021 (Total 6395) 2021-11-9

Abstract: China’s rural public services are now facing a series of new development trends and challenges. One, the supply and demand relation of rural public services has been changed due to the advancement of urbanization and the declining number of rural population. Two, the sharp rise in older adults in rural areas has shifted the focus of rural public services. Three, the increased income and diversified preference options of rural residents have made it difficult for rural public services to meet farmers’ demands. Four, the supporting conditions such as material and technological refinement have induced profound changes in rural public services. In view of the above-mentioned changes and challenges, we need to take a strategic stance focusing on promoting county-level distribution equality, enhancing allocation flexibility, improving quality and enriching the arrangements in a stable fashion. We need to optimize and adjust the functions at nodal points of public service systems covering counties, towns, and villages, turn counties and some central towns into county-level comprehensive public service centers, transform most towns and a small number of central villages into sub-centers of county-level public services and change most of the villages into the stations facilitating public services in a bid to establish a refined public service system at county, town and village-levels to meet rural residents’ demand in the new era.

Keywords: rural public service, new trends, new challenges, public service system at country, town and village-levels, functions at nodal points