International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences

search-icon

Rural Land Dispute Resolution through Xinfang System: A Systematic Literature Review

Open access
The management of mechanisms for resolving rural land disputes has become increasingly important against the backdrop of rapid urbanization in China. The escalating number of land expropriation disputes has emerged as a critical issue, necessitating proper management to prevent conflicts. This study aims to provide an empirical overview of this field through a systematic literature review, with a particular focus on the use of the Xinfang system in resolving land expropriation disputes. Utilizing the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) as the primary data source, a meticulous search and screening process resulted in the inclusion of 54 thematically relevant articles for analysis. This review concentrates on identifying the primary causes of land expropriation disputes, common resolution strategies, and the role and effectiveness of the Xinfang system in rural land dispute resolution. The research reveals that institutional environment, structural frameworks, and operational mechanisms are the main factors influencing the resolution of land expropriation disputes, with their dynamic interplay playing a decisive role. Based on these findings, the study suggests that optimizing the structure and operational mechanisms of the Xinfang system, along with strengthening the institutional environment, can significantly enhance its capacity to resolve land disputes. This provides valuable insights and recommendations for government and relevant agencies in formulating land policies and improving mechanisms for resolving land disputes.
Bai, C. M. (2009). Multidimensional Observation of Rural Land Disputes and Their Resolution Mechanisms: A Case Study in Shaanxi Province. World of Survey and Research, 08, 8-10.
Cai, H. (2008). Research on Rural Land Disputes and Their Resolution Mechanisms. Law Review, 02, 143-150. https://doi.org/10.13415/j.cnki.fxpl.2008.02.006.
Cao, Z. H. (2010). How are the Rights of the Weak Formed? - The Evolution of the “Relocation Request Right” of Farmers Whose Land is Expropriated in China to the Right of Land Development. Case Studies in Institutional Change in China, 00, 17-61.
Cao, Z. H. (2008). Legal, Customary, and Political Forces in the Definition of Land Rights: A Study of Tidal Flat Disputes in the Pearl River Delta. Case Studies in Institutional Change in China, 00, 712-807.
Chen, H. (2022). Linking institutional function with form: Distributional dynamics, disequilibrium, and rural land shareholding in China. Land Use Policy, 120.
Chen, H. Y., & Yin, K. J. (2012). Chinese farmers' land rights from the perspective of rights-thinking – Reflections based on rural land expropriation disputes. Lanzhou Academic Journal, (11), 174-177.
Chen, L. L. (2019). Research on the Stability Maintenance Strategies of Grassroots Governments under a Pressure-Type System [Doctoral dissertation, Guangxi University].
Chen, X. F. (2008). A Socio-Legal Analysis of Land Compensation Disputes between Female and Male Households in P Village, Northern Shaanxi. Journal of the Graduate School of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, 02, 95-101.
Cheng, J. (2004). Judicial Review of Land Expropriation Disputes. Legal Research, 02, 50-56.
Cheng, J. H. (2009). Institutional Choices for the Resolution of Administrative Disputes in China: From the Perspective of Citizens' Needs. Social Sciences in China, 06, 144-160
Cui, X. Q. (2018). Resolution of mass land disputes under the perspective of rural revitalization. Shandong Social Sciences, (11), 123-128.
Dong, L. S. (2013). Typological combing and mechanism study of rural land disputes – Based on the investigation of rural land disputes in Huizhou City. Journal of Hunan University of Science and Technology (Social Science Edition), (01), 73-77.
Du, G. M., & Yang, J. G. (2007). Construction of the Mechanism for Resolving Land Expropriation Disputes in China. Seeking Truth, 06, 44-46.
Du, J. (2016). Expropriation practice from a game theory perspective: A case study of L village in central Hubei. Journal of Northwest A&F University (Social Science Edition), (01), 37-43.
Fu, H., & Gillespie, J. (2014). Resolving Land Disputes in East Asia: Exploring the Limits of Law. Cambridge University Press.
Gu, J. J., & Du, P. C. (2012). A study on the model of multi-mechanism resolution of rural disputes – From an economic perspective. Social Scientist, (10), 46-49.
Gui, X. (2022a). Institutional Absorption in the Online Xinfang System. In Handling of Unyielding Complaints in China: Process Dynamics and Outcomes (pp. 77-94). Springer.
Gui, X. (2022b). Selective Implementation in the Offline Xinfang System. In Handling of Unyielding Complaints in China: Process Dynamics and Outcomes (pp. 59-76). Springer.
Guo, L. (2010). Land Rights Disputes and the “Dilemma” of Rural Governance: A Survey from S Town in Hubei. Journal of the Beijing Administrative College, 04, 10-15.
Guo, L. (2022). Mediation of land disputes and institutional improvement under the background of rural revitalization. Journal of Huazhong University of Science and Technology (Social Science Edition), (04), 23-30.
Guo, L., & Yang, B. (2012). Land Dispute Mediation under the Pressure of Petitions: Field Experience from S Town in Hubei. Contemporary Jurisprudence, 02, 12-18.
Guo, X. H., & Cao, X. F. (2019). Resolving land disputes from the perspective of farmers' changing mentalities. Exploration and Free Views, (12), 104-112.
Hao, W. S., Wu, K. N., Li, X. B., Zhao, H. F., & Huang, Q. (2008). Study on Class Conflicts in Rural Land Expropriation: A Case Study of Land Disputes in Longquan City. China Land Science, 08, 49-53.
He, L., Zhang, X., & Zhang, X. (2023). Urbanization with the pursuit of efficiency and ecology: Theory and evidence from China. Environmental Impact Assessment Review, 103, 107274.
He, X. (2014). ‘If We Award This Case to You, All the Chinese People Would Come to Us for Justice!’Land-Taking Cases in the Shadow of Social Stability. The Politics of Law and Stability in China, Cheltenham: Edward Elgar, 42-58.
Hou, J. H. (2015). Rights and disputes of farmers whose land has been expropriated in the process of urbanization – Based on a survey of expropriated farmers in 31 provinces. Journal of Northwest A&F University (Social Science Edition), (03), 1-8.
Hou, J. H. (2018). Administrative negotiation: A new method for resolving rural land ownership disputes. Journal of Shanghai University (Social Sciences Edition), (05), 13-23.
Hu, Y., Zhou, K. G., & Lei, Y. R. (2015). Research on the resolution and risk warning mechanism of land disputes in the urbanization process: From the perspective of the social combustion theory. Research on Agricultural Modernization, (06), 968-972.
Ibrahim, A.-S., Abubakari, M., Akanbang, B. A., & Kepe, T. (2022). Resolving land conflicts through Alternative Dispute Resolution: Exploring the motivations and challenges in Ghana. Land Use Policy, 120, 106272.
Jay Chen, C.-J. (2020). Peasant protests over land seizures in rural China. The Journal of Peasant Studies, 47(6), 1327-1347.
Kallio, H., Pietilä, A. M., Johnson, M., & Kangasniemi, M. (2016). Systematic methodological review: developing a framework for a qualitative semi?structured interview guide. Journal of advanced nursing, 72(12), 2954-2965.
Keliang, Z., & Prosterman, R. (2007). Securing land rights for Chinese farmers: A leap forward for stability and growth. Cato Development Policy Analysis Series(3).
Keqin, W. (2009). Restoring Private Ownership of Rural Lands to Safeguard the Basic Rights of Farmers. CONFRONTING DISCRIMINATION AND INEQUALITY IN, 70.
Kitchenham, B., Pearl Brereton, O., Budgen, D., Turner, M., Bailey, J., & Linkman, S. (2009). Systematic literature reviews in software engineering – A systematic literature review. Information and Software Technology, 51(1), 7-15.
Li, H. B., Li, B. L., & Li, S. M. (2013). Mechanism of conflict governance in land expropriation in the western multi-ethnic areas. China Land Science, (03), 17-23.
Li, L., & O'brien, K. J. (2008). Protest leadership in rural China. The China Quarterly, 193, 1-23.
Li, N., Tang, L., Che, X., Shi, X., & Ma, X. (2022). Does the democratization level of village governance affect perceptions of security and integrity of land rights? -An analysis from the perspective of social network abundance. Journal of Rural Studies, 94, 305-318.
Lian, H., Glendinning, A., & Yin, B. (2016). The issue of ‘land-lost’farmers in the People’s Republic of China: Reasons for discontent, actions and claims to legitimacy. Journal of Contemporary China, 25(101), 718-730.
Lian, H., & Lejano, R. P. (2014). Interpreting institutional fit: Urbanization, development, and China’s “land-lost”. World Development, 61, 1-10.
Liu, C. X., Yu, S. S., & Liu, F. (2019). An exploration of mechanisms for resolving disputes over rural collective land expropriation. Journal of Social Sciences of Hunan, (04), 74-79.
Liu, X., & Liu, H. X. (2016). Study of the administrative dispute resolution mechanism. Research in Administrative Law, (04), 3-19.
Liu, Y., Yang, R., Long, H., Gao, J., & Wang, J. (2014). Implications of land-use change in rural China: A case study of Yucheng, Shandong province. Land Use Policy, 40, 111-118.
Liu, Z. Y., & Wang, C. M. (2016). Construction of a diversified mechanism for resolving rural land disputes in China. Journal of Hainan University (Humanities and Social Sciences), (05), 102-107.
Liu, Z. Y., & Chen, M. (2012). From “Land Conflict” to “Land Risk”: The Theoretical Approach to the Study of Rural Land Issues in China. China Land Science, 08, 23-28.
Minzner, C. F. (2006). Xinfang: an alternative to formal Chinese legal institutions. Stan. J. Int'l l., 42, 103.
Minzner, C. F. (2011). China's turn against law. The American Journal of Comparative Law, 59(4), 935-984.
Nian, J. P. (2006). The Main Problems in Land Expropriation. Economic Geography, S1, 131-134.
Nidhra, S., Yanamadala, M., Afzal, W., & Torkar, R. (2013, 2013/04/01/). Knowledge transfer challenges and mitigation strategies in global software development—A systematic literature review and industrial validation. International Journal of Information Management, 33(2), 333-355.
Peerenboom, R., & He, X. (2009). Dispute resolution in China: patterns, causes and prognosis. E. Asia L. Rev., 4, 1.
Pils, E. (2018). Reprint of “Assessing evictions and expropriations in China: Efficiency, credibility and rights”. Land Use Policy, 79, 952-959.
Qu, S., Xia, Y., & Zhang, F. S. (2017). Quantitative assessment and prevention of rural land disputes: Based on a large sample survey in seven provinces in China in 2015. Rural Economy, (04), 24-31.
Shao, H., & Whiting, S. (2012). Major Mediation and the Role of Grassroots Courts in China: A Land Dispute Survey in Two Counties of Hunan. Political and Legal Forum, 02, 101-108.
She, X. Y. (2008). Cooperation and Non-Confrontational Resistance: The “Resilient Weapon” of the Weak. Sociological Studies, 03, 1-28.
Shen, H. S. (2012). Land disputes and the reconstruction of grassroots political ecology. Tianfu New Theory, (06), 7-11.
Shi, W. M. (2008). Exploration and Reflection on the Mechanism for Resolving Land Expropriation Disputes. Economics Horizontal, 09, 64-66.
Smith, J. L., & Tiller, E. H. (2002). The strategy of judging: Evidence from administrative law. The Journal of Legal Studies, 31(1), 61-82.
Su, Y. E. (2012). On the institutional guarantee of farmers' income after land expropriation. Academic Exchange, (11), 95-98.
Tan, S., & Hassen, N. A. (2023, Sep 15). Examining the choice of land conflict resolution mechanisms: The case between the harshin and yocaale woredas of the Somali region of Ethiopia. J Environ Manage, 342, 118250.
Tan, S. K., & Qi, R. (2010). Construction and Analysis of a Game Model for Land Expropriation Conflicts in China. China Land Science, 03, 25-29.
Tang, Y. (2020). Why do large-scale land protests in China succeed or fail? Memorial University of Newfoundland].
Tian, D. Z. (2012). Study on the existing problems and countermeasures in the expropriation of collective land in China. Journal of Henan Normal University (Philosophy and Social Sciences Edition), (04), 96-99.
Vincenzo, R. P. (2016). The Xinfang System: A Major Threat to an Effective Judiciary. US-China Law Review, 13(4).
Wang, J. (2008). Summary of the Seminar on Land Expropriation and Dispute Resolution Mechanisms in China and the United States. Research on Administrative Law, 04, 132-135.
Wang, W. (2011). Research on the Mechanism for Solving Disputes of Rural Land Expropriation. Journal of Yunnan Administration College, 02, 120-123.
Wright, T. (2018). Popular protest in China. John Wiley & Sons.
Wang, X. L. (2019). Research on Land Disputes and Resolution Approaches in M Town [Doctoral dissertation, Yantai University].
Wu, J. (2010). Summary and Thoughts on China's Land Expropriation Issues. Economic Dynamics, 07, 85-87.
Wu, X. Q. (2013). Conflict between democratic decision-making and individual rights in villagers' autonomy – Based on the distribution disputes of collective land expropriation fees in rural areas. Journal of Southwest University for Nationalities (Humanities and Social Sciences), (09), 79-85.
Xiao, L., & Wang, Z. Z. (2008). Analysis and Construction of the Mechanism for Resolving Land Expropriation Disputes: Based on a System Structure Analysis Method. Jianghan Forum, 03, 132-135.
Xing, C. G. (2014). Choice and satisfaction of rural social dispute resolution approaches. Journal of Social Science of Heilongjiang, (06), 98-104.
Xu, J. H. (2014). Ancestral property or private property: On peasants' cognition of land property rights – A case study of land dispute in Z village in northern Jiangxi. Guangdong Social Sciences, (03), 198-207.
Yang, H. (2013). Class conflict in rural land expropriation and demolition – A case study of land disputes in the suburbs of Jingmen City. Zhongzhou Academic Journal, (02), 70-76.
Yang, X., & Chen, F. (2019). 19. Seeking solutions: how local governments handle collective labour disputes. Handbook on Urban Development in China, 313.
Ye, S. N. (2010). From “Abandoned Land” to “Land Controversies”: Investigation and Reflection on the Land Dispute Issues in Li Village, L County, Inner Mongolia. Theoretical Realm, 2010(05), 163-165.
Zhang, H. (2019). Pragmatic choices: The logic of dispute resolution in rural society during transition – A case study of a land dispute in North China. Journal of Beijing University of Technology (Social Sciences Edition), (03), 25-34.
Zhang, H. Y. (2014). Study on the optimization of paths for resolving agricultural land disputes in China. Journal of Theoretical Studies, (12), 53-59.
Zhang, M. L., & Chen, L. G. (2008). Land Expropriation Relief: Performance Analysis and Mechanism Improvement - Based on Empirical Research in Jiangsu Province. China Rural Observation, 06, 52-57.
Zhang, M. L., & Liang, Y. R. (2008). Administrative Relief in Land Expropriation: Rationality and Path Choices. Reform of Economic System, 03, 118-121.
Zhang, T. (2009). Why the Chinese prefer administrative petitioning over litigation. Sociological Stud, 3, 139.
Zhang, T. S. (2009). Why Do Chinese Prefer Petitions in Administrative Disputes? Sociological Studies, 03, 139-162.
Zhe, X. Y. (2018). The dynamic construction mechanism of land property rights – A perspective of "claim rights" analysis. Sociological Studies, (03), 25-50.
Zheng, P. C., & Yu, S. (2010). Legal Thoughts on Solving the Dispute of Profit Distribution in Rural Land Expropriation Compensation. Journal of Chongqing University (Social Science Edition), 03, 91-97.
Zheng, T. (2016). Reflection on the reform of the court filing system under the background of judicial reform – Taking land compensation disputes as a starting point. Journal of Xidian University (Social Science Edition), (03), 68-80.
Zhou, C. F. (2013). Legal regulation under the background of rural collective economic organization autonomy – Taking a land compensation dispute case in a village in Yunnan Province as a starting point. Modern Economic Discussion, (04), 70-74.
Zhou, W., Peng, Y., & Bao, H. (2017). Regular pattern of judicial decision on land acquisition and resettlement: An investigation on Zhejiang’s 901 administrative litigation cases. Habitat International, 63, 79-88.
Zhu, T. Z. (2014). Mechanism construction and procedural reform in land acquisition dispute resolution. Journal of South China Agricultural University (Social Science Edition), (02), 8-15.