Extend for Another 30 Years! China Comprehensively Launches Province-Wide Pilot Program for Second-Round Rural Contracted Land Extension Upon Expiration

People’s Financial News, March 18 — On March 18, the General Office of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the General Office of the State Council jointly issued the “Opinions on Doing a Good Job in the Second Round of Land Contract Extension Pilot Work for 30 Years,” which made specific arrangements for the pilot work of extending land contracts for 30 years after their expiration (hereinafter referred to as the extension pilot). The opinions include five main parts: overall requirements, prudent and orderly implementation of the extension pilot, strengthening the protection of farmers’ land contract rights, improving rural land contract management, and strengthening organizational leadership, with a total of 15 specific measures.

Regarding overall requirements, the opinions emphasize maintaining the collective ownership system unwaveringly, adhering to household contracted management, upholding the dominant position of farmers, and safeguarding rural social stability. The extension of land contracts for 30 years after their expiration concerns the vital interests of hundreds of millions of farmers. To actively and prudently carry out the extension pilot work, since 2020, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and the Central Rural Work Leading Group have guided relevant departments to expand the pilot scope gradually from villages and groups. In accordance with the deployment of the Party Central Committee, this year China will carry out comprehensive provincial pilots in 29 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities). (Xinhua News Agency)