China plans to start its second national land survey before
2010, said an official with the Land and Resources Ministry (MLR)
on Monday.
The survey will collect details about land use in all cities and
counties, and 95 percent of villages in China, said Fan Zhiquan,
director of the land ownership department of the MLR.
A national database is expected to be established after the
results are collated and Fan said the survey will help the
government improve its understanding of the current land use
situation and map out effective policies to tighten land and
resources management.
China started to conduct its first national land survey in 1984
and most of the data is now out of date, said Fan.
The second national land survey will focus on construction land,
cultivated land and farmland, he added. However he did not say when
the survey is scheduled to be completed.
The Chinese government announced on Monday a package of land
management measures to strengthen macroeconomic control and cool
down the economy.
Chinese Vice Premier Zeng Peiyan said that China will intensify its
efforts to stamp out illegal land use.
A nationwide campaign is set to be launched to punish local
officials who approve illegal construction and industrial projects
and transfer land use rights at a low price.
China's economy grew 10.9 percent in the first half of the year,
largely driven by excessive use of land for industrial projects and
abundant credit loans.
(Xinhua News Agency August 15, 2006)