China rural households to get land lease extensions

China’s top legislature is poised to amend a rural household land-lease law and thus fulfill a pledge from Xi Jinping to extend leases for 30 years beyond current expiration dates, Caixin reports. The extensions would affect a vast number of households including farm families who lease property for village homes, grain farms, vegetable plots, vineyards and orchards from the government. Most of these leases are currently due to expire around 2027. Rural China had a population of more than 589 million last year, according to the National Bureau of Statistics. Rural areas encompass villages as well as croplands, including some 113 million hectares of grain farms. When addressing the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party, which concluded Tuesday in Beijing, Xi said the party has committed to extending rural household land contracts. The extension initiative will now be considered by the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, the country’s top legislature.