Clarity sought on women's right to contract land

In a move to ensure women's rights, Chinese lawmakers pushed for clarity on Friday regarding rural land contracts.

Although the current rural land contract law says all members of a rural community are entitled to contract a piece of land jointly owned by the community, it does not include a clear definition of who is qualified to be a member - an omission that affects rural women, said Dong Zhongyuan, a member of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, during a panel discussion.

In practice, the question is left to local laws, regulations, policies and village customs.