The study looked at how changes in China's agricultural policies from 1995 to 2009 affected agricultural productivity. By analyzing data from villages, the researchers found that China's agricultural productivity has grown significantly due to these policy reforms. Different policies had varying impacts on technical change and efficiency, with some regions showing more benefits than others. The balance between freedom and regulation in China's economic development has led to frequent changes in agricultural policies, causing fluctuations in productivity. Overall, effective agricultural subsidies have played a crucial role in improving China's agricultural productivity.