China is to extend rural land contracts by another 30 years after the current round of contracts expires. The guideline for the extension, released on Wednesday, outlines the aims of safeguarding farmers' rights and maintaining stability in rural areas.

The guideline, jointly issued by the general offices of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the State Council, sets out detailed arrangements for the extension program, which affects hundreds of millions of rural residents.

With 15 specific measures, the guideline highlights upholding collective land ownership, maintaining the household-based contract system, ensuring farmers' central role and safeguarding rural social stability.

The extension of the second round of land contracts is critical to farmers' livelihoods and a major measure to deepen rural reform. Since 2020, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and other departments have gradually expanded pilot programs that began at village level.

According to the guideline, pilot programs will be rolled out across 29 provincial-level regions this year. Collective ownership must not be weakened and farmland cannot be redistributed across villages in a way that disrupts existing arrangements. Farmers' contracted land should remain stable, and no organization or individual is allowed to illegally adjust or reclaim contracted land, it said.

Standardized procedures will be required, including forming working groups, verifying land data, drafting and publicizing extension plans, signing contracts and updating certificates.

The guideline calls for ensuring the rights of vulnerable groups, including women affected by marriage, divorce or widowhood, as well as farmers who have moved to urban areas. It also encourages exploring voluntary and compensated withdrawal from land contract rights.

Authorities will strictly regulate the management of reserve land and newly added farmland, ensuring transparency and proper ownership clarification. Reserve land should not exceed 5 percent of total collective farmland and cannot be expanded.

Local governments are encouraged to recognize the complexity of the task at hand, strengthen coordination and ensure steady implementation. Land contract extensions should be completed within one year after the expiration of existing contracts, according to the guideline.