China's industry and commerce authorities announced Monday that it will work out and promote a model contract for rural land-use rights transfer to regularize the transfer of farmland-use rights and protect the rights of the farmers.

The model will clarify the object, time limit, payment, mode and time of payment of the deal, as well as the date of land transfer, rights and responsibilities of both parties, and the liability for breach of the contract, said the State Administration For Industry and Commerce (SAIC).

The move aims at ensuring the agricultural use of the land, SAIC said. It would also protect the rights of both parties of the contract, especially the rights of the farmers.

The Communist Party of China (CPC) issued a landmark land policy in October last year to allow farmers to "lease their contracted farmland or transfer their land-use right" to boost the scale of operation for farm production and provide funds for them to start new businesses.

(Xinhua News Agency April 7, 2009)