The central government's "No.1 Central Document" for 2016 is expected to underscore the vital role modern agriculture plays in China, centering on the growth of rural e-commerce, the Economic Information Daily newspaper reported Wednesday, citing experts' opinions.
The No.1 Document is the first document China's central government releases every year, and it usually deals with agriculture.
This would be the fourth consecutive year that the development of rural e-commerce would be addressed in the policy document, and the governmnet support for the sector would be increased, the newspaper report noted.
The central government encourages various kinds of private capital to get involved in the establishment of rural e-commerce platforms, and it supports links between off-line industries and online e-commerce platforms, according to a statement issued Monday by the State Council, China's cabinet.
The economic infrastructure in rural areas was quite poor in the past, but the market has played a major role in leading the development of rural e-commerce, said Li Guoxiang, a research fellow at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.
Li told the newspaper that it's an opportune time for the government to launch measures to promote the growth of the sector.
China's e-commerce giants are already exploring rural markets.
For example, Ant Finance Service Group, a subsidiary of the domestic e-commerce giant Alibaba Group Holding, has started a loan service specifically for rural customers of its Internet bank, according to the newspaper.
