China will begin its mammoth second national land survey on July 1st in order to update its land date and improve related policy-making, the State Council has announced.

The survey should be wrapped up by local authorities before the end of June 2009 prior to being submitted to the Ministry of Land and Resources on Oct. 31, 2009, said a circular issued by the State Council on Thursday.

The circular revealed that the teams would rely on advanced remote imaging technologies to survey different land usages: farmland, forests, industry as well as infrastructure and development parks. Acreages and their precise nationwide distribution would be accurately recorded.

Every plot of land will be surveyed to determine the ownership and its current use, as well as noting the extent of land owned by the state and by rural collectives.

Specific attention will be paid to the situation of basic farmland, widely seen as being vital to China's continuing food security, the circular announced.

During the survey, a new electronic database will track the latest findings and develop statistical and monitoring methods to analyze changes in land resources and provide rapid information updates. 

The circular revealed that the survey would be part of China's efforts to build a resource-saving and environmentally-friendly society and to maintain sustainable economic growth. It will be of great help to the government in carrying out effective scientific land planning, use and protect land effectively, and introduce tough measures to protect arable land.

China's first national land survey took place in 1996, but 11 years on has been made quasi-obsolete by the country's rapid urban and rural changes.

(Xinhua News Agency June 22, 2007)