What rural reform is about, and what it is not

The central leadership has offered rural people new land policies to boost reform and development.

Based on recent talks given by Chen Xiwen, veteran rural policy researcher with the central government, China Daily explains what the policy is about and what it is not.

The central leadership has pledged "long-term stable and unchanged" land management rights. The current law stipulates that farmers can use and manage their land for 30 years. The proposed term, however, is still to be written into law, and could even make the land use right inheritable.