Local governments are blamed for illegal land acquisition, a senior official said on Thursday.

Zhang Xinbao, director of the Land Enforcement and Supervision Department of the Ministry of Land and Resources, slammed local governments for their illicit land grabs, blaming it on an obsession for investment.

At the press conference, 16 cases were selected from the several thousand occurring every year. Three types of illegal land grabs were described.

First, was "replacing land requisition with leasing", a way of circumventing the approval process and acquiring collective farmland for non-agricultural constructions. Second, arbitrary violation of the land use master plan and third, starting construction without getting land use approval.

In total, 546 hectares of land were involved, including 214 hectares of arable land. The 43 cadres involved received either Party disciplinary or administrative penalties. Four cases have already been referred for judicial prosecution.

"The same thing happens again and again, in one place or another," Zhang said.

"Local leaders, oblivious of the overall land planning situation, have started projects, leaving the land problem to the local land and resources bureau."

"Many illegal land acquisition cases were caused this way, as local governments have to find land for the projects brought to the table by their leaders," he said.

Land acquisition violators tend to be dealt with too leniently, Zhang said.

"After all, these leaders are acting in the interests of local development."

The country is trying to keep its diminishing arable land bank above 1.2 billion hectares to ensure food security.

In the latest effort to combat illegal land acquisition, the ministry has kicked off a nationwide campaign of enforcement, until the end of the year.

"It is an uphill battle," Zhang said, "We will expose more cases during the coming days."

(China Daily September 28, 2007)