The State Council made a decision on March 1 to revamp the current land management system in accordance with the corresponding stipulations of the Law of Land Administration.

With stringent farmland protection and optimal land utilization, the decision will grant provincial governments more autonomy in land use.

Except for permanent basic farmland, approvals used to be exclusively exercised by the State Council to convert farmland into construction land. They are now delegated to provincial government bodies.

In pilot areas, approvals for permanent basic farmland converted for construction land and land acquisition items approved by the State Council will be delegated to certain provincial government bodies.

Provincial authorities should strictly supervise permanent basic farmland occupancy, ecological conservation red lines, and land utilized for natural reserves.

The Ministry of Natural Resources should beef up guidance and services for provincial authorities’ approvals for land use.