BEIJING — Chinese authorities on April 14 unveiled a guideline on reforming the country’s property rights system for natural resource assets.

By 2020, a system featuring confirmed ownership, clarified rights and responsibility, strict protection, smooth transfer and effective supervision should have been basically in place, reads the guideline released by the general offices of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the State Council.

The efficiency of natural resource development and use, as well as resource protection, should have been significantly enhanced by then, providing strong support for improving ecological civilization, and guaranteeing national ecological security and resource security, the guideline says.

The system should play a fundamental role in strictly protecting resources and promoting ecological functions, and also play a key role in optimizing resource allocation, improving the efficiency of resource development and use, and promoting high-quality development.

China will explore more effective ways to realize the rights and interests of natural resource assets owners by giving play to the decisive role of the market in allocating resources, the guideline reads.

Meanwhile, the country must strengthen government supervision and administration, and promote the reasonable use of natural resources by natural resource rights holders, it says.

The country will improve the legal system for property rights over natural resource assets, protect the rights and interests of property rights holders on an equal footing, and give better play to the role of the property rights system as both an incentive and restraint in promoting ecological progress.

Local governments are encouraged to carry out bold explorations in accordance with local conditions to accumulate sufficient practical experience for reforming the property rights system, according to the guideline.

China will accelerate the formulation of unified classification standards for natural resources, and establish a unified investigation, monitoring and evaluation system.

It will make a balance sheet for natural resource assets, establish a dynamic monitoring system and keep track of changes in all types of natural resources in a timely manner, the document reads.

Efforts will also be made to accelerate the confirmation and registration of natural resource ownerships, with a focus on major ecological space including national parks, key State-owned forests, wetlands and major rivers.

The country will compile and implement a plan for the ecological restoration of natural space, and establish and improve a mechanism of restoration and comprehensive management of mountains, forests, land, lakes and grassland.

China will improve the system of compensation for damages to the ecological environment, with the persons liable taking the responsibility for restoration or compensation, according to the document.