Reform and development in the Chinese countryside contains some of the most important and interesting economic and political challenges of modern times. This book brings together the results of recent research into reform and development in the Chinese countryside.

There has been a major Australian research effort into the Chinese reforms and economy in recent years, at The Australian National University and the University of Adelaide. Scholars of these two Universities have worked closely together. The rural economy had been one of the foci of research, including recently within a major project sponsored by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research. Important contributions have been made to the research by Chinese Ph.D. students, several of whom have now been appointed to the staff of the two Universities. The Australian contributions to this book are part of the output and continuing research effort and collaboration in and between the two Universities.

The rural economy has been a major focus of research in a wide range of institutions within China throughout the reform period. Guo Shutian, Secretary General of the Policy Research Institute of China's Ministry of Agriculture, has brought together recent work from a number of the most highly reputed Chinese agricultural economists from the key rural research institutions in China.

The editors are grateful to The Australian National University and Policy Research Institute of the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture for providing the base for this collaborative effort.