The government has uncovered illegal land acquisitions involving 3.5 million mu (233,000 hectares) in 32,000 cases, Xu Shaoshi, Minister of Land and Resources, said on Monday.

Xu gave the figures to a Beijing-based teleconference during the third stage of a 100-day nationwide crackdown on illegal land grabs.

Of the total, 370,000 mu (24,700 hectares) had been illegally seized in the name of leasing, and that only represented what had been discovered in the first 60 days of the campaign, he noted.

He said 870,000 mu (58,000 hectares) was illegally taken to launch or expand 420 industrial parks and 2.2 million mu (146,700 hectares) was used without government approval.

Xu ordered local land and resources authorities to focus on cases that involved government irregularities and seriously affected social security.

In China, land seizures have even involved local officials who want to boost local governments' fortunes -- or their own.

(Xinhua News Agency November 20, 2007)