Outline of National Land Use Master Plan (2006-2020).

This Outline of National Land Use Master Plan (2006-2020), made by the Ministry of Land and Resources together with the relevant departments, is a cross-sectoral policy document. The Master Plan is a programmatic document guiding land administration, and is an important basis for the macro-control over land, the control over land uses and the urban and rural construction planning.
China is currently experiencing rapid economic development, industrialization and urbanization. The conflict between demand and supply of construction land will be more obvious, it is increasingly urgent to protect farmland especially arable land. Sticking to the fundamental guidelines of protecting arable land and using land in an economic and intensive way, the Master Plan proposes a set of targets, including: Holding the bottom line of 1.8 billion mu of arable (120 million ha). Maintaining the amount of arable land no less than 121.20 million ha and 120.33 million ha before 2010 and 2020 respectively; Maintaining the amount of basic arable land above 104 million ha. Ensuring the land supply for development in a scientific way. Keeping the amount of newly increased construction land less than 1.95 million ha and 5.85 million ha during 2006 to 2010 and 2006 to 2020 respectively; Keeping the annual growth rate of production of secondary industry & tertiary-industry per unit of construction land over 6%(over 10% during 2006 and 2010); Keeping the total amount of construction land less than 33.74 million ha and 37.24 million ha before 2010 and 2020 respectively; Increasing arable land by 1.14 million ha and 3.67 million ha during 2006 to 2010 and during 2006 to 2020 by land consolidation & rehabilitation; etc. The Plan also urges more policy and fund support to main grain producing areas and key areas of land development and consolidation.
As mentioned above, the Master Plan seeks to mitigate farmland losses, increase high-level farmland area and improve agricultural productivity. Meanwhile, the Master Plan urges to: Get remarkable achievement in ecological protection regarding land; Strengthen the role of land administration in macro controls; Making significant progress in control of soil & water loss, land desertification, and farmland pollution.
In addition, regarding to the governance, the chief persons in charge of the local people's governments at all levels shall be generally responsible for the implementation of the overall planning and annual plan on land use within their respective administrative regions, strictly implement the accountability system for the target of protecting arable land, and ensure that the minimum quantity of arable land and the area of protected basic farmland determined in the Outline are not dwindling and the land quality is improved.