From xinhuanet (link):
China is revising rural election law to protect the democratic rights of its farmers and promote village democracy in the country’s vast countryside.
“Democratic management” is listed as one of the requirements of building a new socialist countryside in the 11th Five-Year Program(2006-2010) of China. Premier Wen Jiabao said in his government work report on March 5 that “building a new socialist countryside must respect the will of Chinese farmers and strengthen democracy at a basic level”.
“Democracy at a basic level was established two decades ago and the democratic awareness of farmers has been growing ever since,” said Wang Jinhua, director of rural affairs for the Ministry of Civil Affairs.
However, he acknowledged that in some villages, there are cases of buying votes and official manipulation in village elections. But there are no specific regulations available to which they can refer.
