China?released a land survey ordinance on Thursday to strengthen management, protect arable land and to promote the sustainable development of the nation's economy.

Under the ordinance, China will launch a national land survey every 10 years and conduct a land change survey annually. This includes changes in land use, owners, conditions, among others.

The release of the ordinance, effective Thursday, is aimed at collecting accurate and authentic data of the nation's land resources and uses to conduct scientific planning, optimize land utilization and its efficient protection.

Almost a quarter of new land acquisitions in Chinese cities from October 2005 to October 2006 were illegal, the Ministry of Land and Resources said in mid 2007.

During the period, about 51 percent of new land use projects in 90 cities were illegal. The figure was as high as 80 percent in 17 cities, the ministry said.

Last month, more than 2,700 officials had been referred for prosecution on land use violation charges involving more than 3.3 million mu (220,000 hectares). This followed an 100-day campaign to crackdown on local governments that illegally transferred household land to property developers.

As GDP growth played a crucial role in official promotion, local governments have often acquiesced to illegal land use to attract investment.

China currently faces a severe farmland shortage. Its arable land declined from 122 million hectares to 121.8 million hectares in 2006, almost hitting the official bottom line of 120 million hectares.

(Xinhua News Agency February 15, 2008)