By Ning Xia, Research Team on “China’s Rural Areas Towards 2035”, Research Department of Rural Economy, DRC

Research Report, No.133, 2021 (Total 6198) 2021-5-25

Abstract: Based on the data from related departments at national and provincial level, the adjustment of the layout of villages in China will be featured with three main trends in the new development stage. First, the number and density of villages will decrease, with the reduction mainly seen in western provinces, mountainous areas and important ecologically functional zones. Second, the number and population scale of villages in different regions will differentiate from each other. While some villages will hollow out, others will be further expanded. Third, their functional zones for residential life, agricultural production and industrial development will be more well-defined. To ensure proper adjustment of the layout of villages through guidance, efforts are needed to make overall planning and all-for-one space governance for a larger area beyond local administrative boundaries and improve policies and mechanisms to make the environment for the adjustment of village layout more favorable. Related departments are also supposed to reform the current closed rural collective property right system, remove obstacles in the collective property right system to the adjustment of village layout, follow the objective laws of economic and social development and stay patient in the adjustment process.

Keywords: adjustment of layout of villages, projections on trends, guidance of policies