Posts Tagged ‘land reform’

Fruits of reform can be bitter in Chinese countryside

December 13th, 2008

Here is a clip of China-related news regarding the rural areas of China from Reuters. Despite the recent land reform, how much the farmers have control over their land is still in big question.

Fruits of reform can be bitter in Chinese countryside | International | Reuters
China’s vast brown plains gave birth to the reforms that transformed the nation three decades ago, and yet now Xibaijian village is one of many battlegrounds here where peasant unrest shadows that success.

The heart of this metamorphosis has been the hard-worked land, guarded by farmers as a source of food and security but coveted by officials and developers as a source of fast wealth.

Farmers in this dusty village, straddled by coal mines in Anyang county in central China, have become actors in a broader struggle over who wins and loses from economic transformation.

To many farmers here, the answer is simple. They spoke of thugs hired by businessmen and officials, battles over land, and officials snatching wealth to salt away in Beijing real estate.

China liberalizes farmers’ land use right

October 20th, 2008

China liberalizes farmers’ land use right to boost rural development_English_Xinhua

BEIJING, Oct. 19 (Xinhua) — The Communist Party of China (CPC) issued a landmark policy document on Sunday to allow farmers to “lease their contracted farmland or transfer their land-use right” to boost the scale of operation for farm production and provide funds for them to start new businesses.

The Decision on Major Issues Concerning the Advancement of Rural Reform and Development was approved by the CPC Central Committee on Oct. 12 at a plenary session.

According to the full text of the document, markets for the lease of contracted farmland and transfer of farmland use rights shall be set up and improved to allow farmers to sub-contract, lease, exchange and swap their land use rights, or joined share-holding entities with their farmland.

Such transfers of land-use rights must be voluntarily participated by farmers, with adequate payment and in accordance with the law, the CPC Central Committee said.