BEIJING, Jan. 31 (Xinhua) — About half of the villagers’ committees across China will be reshuffled in 2008. The following are some key facts and figures about the development of democracy in China’s rural areas.

    According to the Organic Law of the Villagers’ Committees, the functions of the villagers’ committee are as follows:

    – To make sure the villagers have a better understanding of the Constitution, laws, regulations and state policies.

    – To manage the collective-owned land and other means of production, provide various kinds of services for rural residents, including the construction of roads and bridges.

    – To be responsible for the local education, cultural, health and sports causes.

    – To mediate civil disputes and coordinate the relations among local residents.

    The elections of villagers’ committees are held every three years.

    In 1980, 85 households of Hezhai village in south China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region elected and established China’s first villagers’ committee as a self-rule body. Such a practice was recognized in 1982 by country’s Constitution.

    In June 1988, the Organic Law of the Villagers’ Committees was enacted and was tried out for ten years. In November 1998, the law was formally promulgated.

    At the end of 2007, more than 620,000 villagers’ committees had been set up across the country.

    Voter turnout is considered as an important indicator of the election enthusiasm of villagers. The rate for elections held from2005 to 2007 was 90.7 percent, a fairly high figure considering the fact that some rural people went out seeking jobs outside their hometown.

    According to the Ministry of Civil Affairs, “no-candidate elections”, which means no candidates are decided prior to the elections and any individual villager can promote himself or herself, were popular in 17 provincial areas in the elections from2005 to 2007.

    However, the report showed that there are three main factors intervening or disturbing rural election — the power of big clans, bribery and other illegal competitive practices, and the high mobility of migrant workers.

    To overcome these factors, some election monitoring modes have gradually formed, such as a specialized electoral supervisory body, a observers system, and a judicial notary system.