China mulls revising law to improve transparency in land requisition

BEIJING -- A draft revision to China's land administration law, submitted for its third reading Thursday, clarified how the government should inform and consult local communities about land requisition plans.

County governments and above should publish in detail their plans for expropriating certain rural land in local townships and villages for at least 30 days, according to the bill submitted to the bimonthly session of the National People's Congress Standing Committee.

The authorities should also listen to the opinions of the local community involved in a requisition plan and, if the majority of the members consider the plan to violate laws or administrative regulations, they should hold hearings and revise the plan in accordance with the laws and the results of the hearing, according to the latest version of the bill formed after the second reading.

The bill was submitted for the first reading in December last year and the second reading in June.

The latest version of the bill also encouraged rural communities to make better use of deserted land that is reserved for residential use as well as vacant houses.

Also submitted for the third reading was the draft revision to the law on urban real estate administration in a bid to be aligned with the revised land administration law.