China has posted a net increase in total area of arable land for three consecutive years, owing to the country's persistent protection of arable land, said the vice minister of natural resources in Beijing on Thursday.
Since 2021, the total area of the country's farmland has expanded by 17.58 million mu (about 1.17 million hectares), vice minister Liu Guohong said at a press conference.
Notably, in 2023, provinces in south China saw a net increase of 7.39 million mu (about 492,667 hectares), addressing the issue of arable land increasing in the north while decreasing in the south.
Liu attributed the significant achievement to the country's sustained efforts to focus on farmland as the lifeline of grain production, improved measures in carrying out reforms, and an accountability mechanism regarding farmland protection.
"Targeting new challenges in arable land protection, we have managed all farmland repurposed for other uses in a unified manner under the system for offsetting cultivated land, and strengthened dynamic balance over provincial gross arable land. Concurrently, we have improved the economic rewards and penalties mechanism for farmland protection, to ensure that areas protecting arable land do not suffer losses and that farmers who protect farmland receive tangible benefits," he said.
Concurrently, China has continuously promoted land saving, intensive and efficient application, and orderly pushed reforms for market-based transfers of rural collective land designated for business construction to make good use of rural land assets.
The country has also strictly controlled the scale of construction land.
Since 2012, the area of construction land per unit of GDP has slumped by 45 percent, effectively meeting urban and rural development needs.
China sees net increase in total arable land area for three consecutive years
China on Wednesday condemned the Philippines' "thief crying stop thief" behavior after Manila organized vessels to illegally intrude into the lagoon of China's Xianbin Jiao in the South China Sea.
Jiang Bin, a spokesperson for China's Ministry of National Defense, made the remarks in response to Philippines' false accusations about Chinese maritime law enforcement actions against Philippine personnel near Xianbin Jiao.
Jiang said that the Philippines deliberately organized and dispatched a large number of vessels to intrude into the lagoon of Xianbin Jiao illegally. Personnel on the Philippine vessels even brandished knives to threaten Chinese coast guard officers conducting lawful operations, an act that was "utterly egregious in nature".
"The measures taken by the Chinese side were necessary actions to safeguard its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests," the spokesperson emphasized. "They were reasonable, lawful, professional, and restrained."
"In the face of clear facts, certain people on the Philippine side are blatantly distorting the facts, making excuses to deny their own infringement and provocation. They even turned around to accuse China, which is completely reversing right and wrong and crying thief while being one themselves," said Jiang.
"For some time, the Philippine side has repeatedly stirred up incidents at sea, staging self-directed and self-staged farces, deliberately smearing and accusing China, agitating the situation in the South China Sea and undermining regional stability. We solemnly warn the Philippine side that playing the victim, hyping up and sensationalizing the issue will not change the nature of its illegal infringements, nor will it mislead the international community or shake China's resolve to safeguard its rights in accordance with the law. China will continue to take firm and effective measures to resolutely respond to all acts of infringement and provocation," he continued.
China reaffirms sovereignty over Xianbin Jiao, denounces Philippines' false accusations
