By Yang Yan & Gu Shuzhong, Research Institute of Resources and Environment Policies, DRC

Research Report, No.185, 2020 (Total 5929) 2020-7-17

Abstract: The revised Land Administration Law touches upon the development of tracts of land (hereinafter referred to as “tract development”) for the first time. However, due to unclear definition to tract development, people hold quite different views on this issue. These views mainly focus on whether tract development would lead to enlarged scale of land expropriation and whether the requisition of large areas of farmland would undermine land resources and hinder farmers from receiving a fair share of the profits from land-value appreciation. Therefore, it is imperative to define the connotations and standards of tract development. This paper holds that tract development is a means of the government to expropriate and develop land on a large scale for non-profit public functions and local development in accordance with relevant planning. Based on that fact, the paper puts forward six categories of standards for delineating tract development, and these government-led standards must be in conformity with the law and carried out in a large-scale, public-welfare and non-profit manner. Meanwhile, with regard to tract development, it suggests strengthening its approval by the government, supervision by people’s congress and deliberation by the public.

Keywords: the revised Land Administration Law, development of tracts of land, policy options