Land use rights

Transfer of rural land use rights can be a double-edged sword.

Well-regulated deals can achieve the intended target of modern agriculture, which will hopefully put arable land to more efficient use and create more profits for farmers. But profit-seeking ones with no consideration for sustainable use of land or even using arable land for non-agricultural purpose will undermine the country's food security.

Following the decision on this issue by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China at its session early last month, some local governments have started to set up markets for the land use rights deals.