However, according to a 2005 report on China’s land
resources (Ministry of Land and Resources P.R.C., 2006), about
138.70 thousand ha of arable land were used for urban construction
and industrial development in 1 year alone. As a result,
the total of arable land converted to non-culture uses in 2005
was 361.60 thousand ha. Three major factors have increased the
need to use arable land in this way: housing China’s increasing
population, communal land-use (roads, water conservation,
etc.), and China’s rapid industrialization. The report on China’s
land resources (Ministry of Land and Resources P.R.C., 2006)
also noted that more than one third of all converted arable land
was for industrial use. Therefore, improving the efficiency of
industrial land-use may be the most effective method for minimizing
the conflict between industrial development and the
protection of arable land. Sustainable development theory concerns
social and economic harmonious development, thus the
indicators of land use efficiency evaluation in this study including
gross output per area, investment per area and employees per
area.
China’s land-use plan was enacted in 1985, and its effects
on arable land protection have been positive (Li and Yeh, 2004