【正文】 nces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government shall include the implementation of the annual plans for land utilization in their report on the implementation of the plan for national economic and social development to be delivered to the people39。s governments of provinces, autonomous regions or municipalities directly under the Central Government. Among these, the ones drawn up by townships (towns) may be submitted for approval to the people39。 (4) protecting and improving ecological environment and guaranteeing the sustainable use of land。s government at the next higher level. In drawing up their overall plans for land utilization, the people39。s Court within 30 days from the date of receiving notification of the decision. Before a dispute over ownership of land or the right to the use of land is solved, no party may alter the condition in which the land is being used. Chapter III Overall Plans for Land Utilization Article 17 People39。s government. Disputes between units shall be handled by people39。s Republic of China. Article 12 Any change to be lawfully made in land ownership, in the right to the use of land or in the purpose of use of land shall be registered. Article 13 The lawfully registered ownership of land and right to the use of land shall be protected by law and may not be infringed upon by any units or individuals. Article 14 Land owned by peasant collectives shall be operated under a contract by members of the economic organizations of the peasant collectives for crop cultivation, forestry, animal husbandry or fishery. The duration of such contract is 30 years. The party that gives out a contract and the party that undertakes it shall sign a contract in which to stipulate the rights and obligations of both parties. A peasant who undertakes to operate a piece of land under a contract shall have the obligation to protect the land and rationally use it in conformity with the purposes of use provided for in the contract. The right of a peasant to operate land under a contract shall be protected by law. Within the duration of the contract for operation of land, any appropriate readjustment of the land between individual contractors shall be made with the agreement of at least twothirds of the members of the villagers assembly or of the representatives of villagers and the matter shall be submitted to the township (town) people39。 land already owned by a peasant collective of a township (town) shall be operated and managed by the rural collective economic organization of the township (town). Article 11 Land owned by peasant collectives shall be registered with and recorded by people39。 house sites and private plots of cropland and hilly land are owned by peasant collectives. Article 9 Stateowned land and land owned by peasant collectives may be lawfully determined to be used by units or individuals. Units and individuals that use land shall have the obligation to protect and manage the land and make rational use of it. Article 10 Land owned by peasant collectives that belongs lawfully to peasant collectives of a village shall be operated and managed by collective economic organizations of the village or by villagers39。 and unused land means land other than land for agriculture and construction. All units and individuals shall use land in strict pliance with the purposes of use defined in the overall plans for land utilization. Article 5 The land administration department under the State Council shall be in charge of unified administration of and supervision over the land throughout the country. The establishment and duties of the land administration departments of local people39。s Republic of China practises socialist public ownership of land, namely, ownership by the whole people and collective ownership by the working people. Ownership by the whole people means that the right of ownership in Stateowned land is exercised by the State Council on behalf of the State. No units or individuals may encroach on land or illegally transfer it through buying, selling or other means. However, the right to the use of land may be transferred in accordance with law. The State may, in the interest of the public, lawfully expropriate or requisition land and give pensation accordingly. The State applies, in accordance with law, a system of pensated use of Stateowned land, with the exception of land the right to the use of which is allocated by the State within the provisions of laws. Article 3 To value land highly, use land rationally and protect cultivated land effectively is China39。s Republic of China on August 29, 1998。s Congress on December 29, 1988 in accordance with the Decision on Amending the Land Administration Law of the People39。 Land Administration Law of the People39。 amended for the first time at the 5th Meeting of the Standing Committee of the Seventh National People39。s Congress on August 29, 1998 and promulgated by Order of the President of the People39。s Congress on August 28, 2004) Contents Chapter I General Provisions Chapter II Ownership of Land and Right to the Use of Land Chapter III Overall Plans for Land Utilization Chapter IV Protection of Cultivated Land Chapter V Land to Be Used for Construction Chapter VI Supervision and Inspection Chapter VII Legal Liabilities Chapter VIII Supplementary Provisions Chapter I General Provisions Article 1 This Law is enacted in accordance with the Constitution for the purpose of strengthening land administration, maintaining the socialist public ownership of land, protecting and developing land resources, making rational use of land, effectively protecting cultivated land and promoting sustainable development of the society and the economy. Article 2 The People39。 land for construction means land for constructing buildings and other structures, including la