【正文】 ontract 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。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。 (4) protecting and improving ecological environment and guaranteeing the sustainable use of land。s governments of provinces, 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。 they may not fabricate or conceal such materials, refuse to provide them, or delay providing them. Statistics of the areas of land published jointly by land administration departments and statistics departments shall provide the basis for people39。 (3) vegetable production bases。s Republic of China on the Administration of the Urban Estate. Where a unit or individual that contracts to operate cultivated land but lets the land lie waste for two years running, the original unit that gave out the contract shall terminate the contract and take back the land under contract. Article 38 The State encourages units and individuals to develop unused land in accordance with the overall plans for land utilization, on condition that the ecological environment is protected and improved and soil erosion and desertification are prevented. Priority shall be given to the development of such land for agricultural purposes where conditions permit. The State protects the lawful rights and interests of such developers in accordance with law. Article 39 Unused land shall be reclaimed on the basis of scientific confirmation and evaluation, within the reclaimable area designated as such in an overall plan for land utilization and with lawful approval. It is forbidden to reclaim cultivated land by destroying forests or grasslands, to reclaim land from lakes and to encroach on tidalflat areas of rivers. Where land is reclaimed from forests, grasslands or lakes at the expense of the ecological environment, it shall gradually be returned to the forests, grasslands and lakes according to plan. Article 40 Units or individuals that wish to develop Stateowned barren hills, wastelands or waste tidal flats, the landuse right of which is not yet established, for crop cultivation, forestry, animal husbandry or fishery shall be subject to lawful approval by people39。s government at or above the county level shall, with the approval of the original approving organ, take back the user39。s governments at or above the county level。s governments at or above the county level shall, in conjunction with the departments concerned at the same level, grade land on the basis of the result of land survey, the planned purposes for the use of land and the uniform standards formulated by the State. Article 29 The State shall establish a land statistics system. Land administration departments and statistics departments of people39。s governments at the provincial level. Once an overall plan for land utilization is approved, it shall be strictly carried out. Article 22 The area of land to be used for urban construction shall conform to the norm set by State regulations. Attention shall be paid to making full use of the existing land earmarked for construction and using little or no land earmarked for agriculture. The overall plans of cities and the plans of villages and towns shall be dovetailed with the overall plan for land utilization, and the area of land to be used for construction fixed in the former shall not exceed the area fixed in the latter for the cities, villages and towns. In areas covered by the plans of cities, villages and towns, the area of land to be used for construction shall conform to the area as is fixed in such plans. Article 23 Plans for allround harnessing of rivers and lakes and for their development and utilization shall be dovetailed with the overall plan for land utilization. Within areas of the rivers, lakes and reservoirs under control and protection and areas for flood storage or detention, land shall be used in conformity with the plan for allround harnessing of rivers and lakes and for their development and utilization and with the requirements of flood diversion and storage and water transmission from the rivers and lakes. Article 24 People39。 (2) increasing the land utilization ratio。s governments at the township level or at or above the county level. If a party refuses to accept the decision made by the relevant people39。s governments at the county level, which shall, upon verification, issue certificates to confirm the right to the use of the land for such construction. Stateowned land to be lawfully used by units or individuals shall be registered with and recorded by people39。s governments of provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government in accordance with the relevant regulations of the State Council. Art