Rural land reform pilot to be completed by the end of 2017

Recently, the pilot opinions on three reforms of the rural land system - rural land expropriation, market entry of collective operational construction land, and reform of the homestead system - were issued, marking that our country's reform of the rural land system is about to enter the pilot stage. Minister of Land and Resources Jiang Daming said that the pilots will be selected from comprehensive pilot projects for new urbanization and rural reform pilot zones, will operate in a closed manner, and will ensure controllable risks. The pilot work will be completed by the end of 2017.

Jiang Daming pointed out that there are four main tasks for the reform pilots:

First, improve the land expropriation system. In response to problems such as an overly broad scope of land expropriation, procedures that are not sufficiently standardized, and an imperfect safeguard mechanism for farmers whose land is expropriated, it is necessary to narrow the scope of land expropriation, explore the formulation of a land expropriation catalogue, and strictly define the scope of land used for public interests; standardize land expropriation procedures, establish a social stability risk assessment system, improve mechanisms for mediating and resolving conflicts and disputes, and fully disclose land expropriation information; and improve a reasonable, standardized and diversified safeguard mechanism for farmers whose land is expropriated.

Second, establish a system for market entry of rural collective operational construction land. In response to problems such as the incomplete rights and capacities of rural collective operational construction land, its inability to enter the market on equal terms and with equal rights and equal prices, and trading rules that urgently need to be improved, it is necessary to improve the property rights system for rural collective operational construction land and grant rural collective operational construction land the rights and capacities for transfer, lease and equity participation; clarify the scope and channels for market entry of rural collective operational construction land; and establish and improve market trading rules and service supervision systems.

Third, reform and improve the rural homestead system. In response to problems such as difficulties for farming households in obtaining homesteads, extensive use, and obstructed exit, it is necessary to improve the safeguarding of homestead rights and interests and the methods of obtaining them, and explore multiple forms of realizing housing security for farmers in different regions so that each household has a place to live; for situations such as exceeding standards in occupying homesteads and one household having multiple homesteads formed for historical reasons, explore the implementation of paid use; explore voluntary paid exit or transfer of homesteads within the internal collective economic organization by farmers who have settled in cities; and reform the homestead approval system and give play to the democratic management role of villagers' self-governing organizations.

Fourth, establish a mechanism for distributing land value-added returns that takes into account the state, the collective and individuals, and reasonably increase individual returns. In response to problems such as an unsound mechanism for distributing land value-added returns and insufficient consideration of the interests of the state, the collective and individuals, it is necessary to establish and improve distribution methods and related institutional arrangements for land value-added returns between the state and the collective and within collective economic organizations.

Regarding the scope and time requirements for pilot selection, Jiang Daming said that the requirements for the reform pilots are: first, adhere to small-scale pilots. Coordinate the eastern, central, western and northeastern regions, take into account different development stages and models, mainly arrange them in comprehensive pilot projects for new urbanization and rural reform pilot zones, and select a number of counties or county-level cities with a foundation and conditions to carry them out. Second, adhere to reform in accordance with the law. The pilots involve breaking through relevant legal provisions and require the State Council to request authorization from the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, allowing pilot areas to suspend the implementation of relevant legal provisions during the pilot period. Third, adhere to closed operation. The pilots are strictly limited to counties (cities) authorized by law, and non-pilot areas should not blindly compare themselves or act without authorization, ensuring that the pilots operate in a closed manner and risks are controllable. The pilot work will be completed by the end of 2017.