China will press on with a strict farmland protection system to firmly safeguard farmers' rights to land, a senior economic official said on Wednesday.

Chen Xiwen, deputy director of the Office of the Central Financial Work Leading Group, made the remarks at a press conference held by the State Council Information Office.

According to statistics, about 200,000 ha. of farmlands are taken from farmers across China every year. In recent years, illegal land confiscation has led to some mass protests in China's rural areas, which has become a serious problem affecting rural and social stability.

"The act of illegal ratification and confiscation of farmlands are against China's criminal law," Chen said.

According to China's land-ratification provisions and laws, only the central and provincial governments are entitled to exert the right of land ratification, and provincial governments are prescribed to approve the use of farmlands below 35 ha. and wastelands below 75 ha.

As for the reform of the land acquisition system, Chen said it should brought along gradually before an effective system is worked out.

China has taken a series of measures to protect the interests of farmers, who lost their lands, including enhancing compensation, providing employment training and enrolling them in the social security system.

Source: Xinhua