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pital con struction loans to help urbanization in the rural areas. By the end of 2020, the loan surplus relating to “ agriculture, rural areas, and farmers” reached billion, accounting for 42 percent of all loan sur Second, there are still some policy restrictions in rural credit co operatives. The state does not treat rural credit cooperatives as policy finance but limits their service target within “ agriculture, rural areas, and farmers.” Rural credit cooperatives are still regarded as an important channel for providing agricultural policy support loans. Third, in recent years, the existence of the Agricultural Development Bank of China was seriously questioned. There are many heated arguments about its future existence. It seems that if the development of the system of food circulation turns to the market, the business of the Agricultural Development Bank would bee narrower and narrower. The overall rural financial sys tem cannot be depended upon only by rural credit cooperatives. The policy function of the Agricultural Development Bank should be handed over to the Agricultural Bank. Alternatively, we should turn the Agricultural Develop ment Bank into an agricultural insurance pany. Page 5 MARCH– APRIL 2020 61 Finally, it is unclear if loans are indeed helping the impoverished. It seems that there is very little financial demand from small households and impov erished people, especially the most impoverished. They may have a need for deposits and insurance but not for loans. Loans are not helping them solve their difficulties. The lending mechanism is essentially a mercial one. Helping the impoverished is a highly social and beneficial matter that in essence does not suit the lending mechanism. Other means should be found to solve the Inconsistency Between the Rural Financial System and Rural Economic and Social Development We discuss several inconsistencies between the rural financial system and development. ? Rural finance is in a state of being restrained In modern society, finance is the core of the economy. Economy and fi nance are closely bound together. The economic development of any coun try cannot be achieved without financial support. In the early 1970s, Shaw (1988) and McKinnon (1988) put forward the theory of “ financia