Guangdong may let farmers sell land amid move to cities

The southern province of Guangdong proposed allowing farmers to sell their rights to land on a limited basis as more of the nation's rural population migrates to cities.

Guangdong's proposal would limit sales of rural homesteads to members of the same rural collective and allow a household to own only one homestead, according to draft rules posted to the provincial government's website.

Rural collectives were created after the Communist Party took power and redistributed land so that it was controlled by groups of farmers instead of individuals.

All land in China is owned by the State, which issues usage rights.