The Ministry of Land and Resources launched a half-year special investigation Thursday aimed at improving conditions in the country's property market, which has been described as "chaotic'' by senior officials.
The investigation will focus on heightening discipline among officials in the field to prevent solicitation of illegal land deals and profits.
Any officials or other persons found to be involved in the illicit trade of land or the illegal use of State-owned land during the investigation will be punished according to the law, said Tian Fengshan, minister of land and resources at a national meeting in Beijing Thursday.
Between 1999 and 2002, a total of 549,000 land abuse cases involving a total land area of 122,000 hectares were handled by land authorities, resulting in disciplinary actions against more than 3,400 officials by administrative or Party organs, as well as 363 criminal penalties.
Tian said that his ministry is also drafting rules to regulate the use of land and safeguard the interests of farmers.
China has taken steps to introduce market pressures to bidding processes, which will help to reflect more reasonable property prices, according to Tian.
The ministry Thursday issued a circular urging for "cleaner and more regulated'' land use administration.
The ministry will step up its supervision on specific operations of the transfer of land use rights and strengthen evaluation of officials for future assignments, said the circular.
The ministry further demanded a thorough check-up of land supply for all kinds of "development zones'' and "science parks,'' saying the old preferential policies of the central government in such special areas have been abused by some local officials to avoid paying proper prices for land.
To prevent possible real estate industry bubbles, the ministry gave the red light to land supply for the development of villas.
The ministry has also paid special attention to the country's real estate market, requiring strict controls for the development of commercial housing.
The ministry also requires that plans for all high-tech parks be examined. Those built in violation of the overall planning for land-use must be retracted and localities cannot revise their land-use plans to fit the establishment of such parks.
Meanwhile, the relevant land and resources departments are not obliged to supply land for the building of high-tech parks outside of determined land-use plans.
(China Daily February 21, 2003)
