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Those who can tell the leakage of rain are under the same roof

PLA Daily 2005-03-18

  

  Lu Derui, former deputy director of the State Council's Counseling Office, wrote Premier Wen Jiabao a letter about the trip of Geng Dabing, a Counseling Office worker, back to his hometown, and reported what is really going on in the countryside. Premier Wen Jiabao quickly wrote a reply to the letter: “The direct and forceful policies carried out starting from this year have indeed brought a new and dynamic atmosphere to the rural area. However, we are well aware that much more efforts, more painstaking work and long-term persistent endeavor are required to solve the issues concerning agriculture, rural area and farmers. It remains a long-term and arduous task, which allows no slack in our work. ‘Those who can tell the leakage of rain are under the same roof, and those who know well about the wrongs are the populace'. We hope that consultants will learn more about the feelings and wishes of the masses and relay more of their comments to us. ”

  It is as sure as a gun: “Those who can tell the leakage of rain are under the same roof.” It is more often than not that only by going to the masses in great difficulties can one see most clearly whether policies are implemented, cadres do their jobs, people are satisfied and the aim of the Party is embodied. In the year before last, Premier Wen learned from Xiong Deming, a woman farmer in Sichuan Province, that migrant workers from rural areas were not paid for the work they did. Later, a national “blitz of clearing up defaults” involving the migrant workers was initiated.

  When the practice of “reporting good news and suppressing bad ones” is prevalent, leading carders should inspect the grassroots situations more often. There are still a great many poverty-stricken people and some are living a very difficult life… Getting closer to these people will enable us to know better how far we are from the goal of “common prosperity” and how ridiculous it is to spend a lot of money on “face projects” and “showing off projects”…

  By Gao Xia

  (Mar. 18, PLA Daily)