By Zhang Yunhua, Wu Zhenjun, Research Department of Rural Economy, DRC & Liu Tongshan, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences

Research Report No.138, 2016 (Total 5021)2016-10-21

Abstract: In the course of urbanization, millions of farmers have left their homeland and moved to cities. Against the backdrop of the huge transformation in urban and rural areas, the Fifth Plenary Session for the 18th CPC Central Committee brought up the major issue of the transference of contracted land-use rights of those farmers who have migrated to cities. Liangping County under the administration of Chongqing Municipality has made a pilot practice on transferring the contracted land-use rights of those farmers who have withdrawn from their land contracts and moved to cities. Through practice Liangping county has gained some experience and received positive results. Facts show that the pilot practice in Liangping County is quite successful and its experience could be followed by other rural counties. Efforts should be made to further improve the system for farmers to exercise their right to withdraw from their land contracts. Currently, relevant regulations should be made for that practice and the social security system for farmers should be improved. The collective still possess the ownership of the contracted land-use rights after farmers’ withdrawal from the contract and the transferee entities only have land management right rather than contracted right. The withdrawal and transfer of contracted land should be incorporated into the rural property right transaction market and the government can play its role in offering market service and compensating revolving funds. Work should be done to coordinate the advance of pilot projects for the withdrawal of farmers’ contracted land, homestead and farmers’ rights to share in the proceeds from rural collective operations. In addition, the government needs to explore new approaches towards the policy of rural land purchasing and storage by the government.

Key words: farmers’ contracted land, exit, experiment, Liangping County