WHAT 土地使用权 MEANS
What 土地使用权 means
In urban China, businesses and individuals generally transact in land-use rights rather than owning the underlying land itself. The right’s type, permitted use, term, transfer conditions and registration are central.
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Why the role matters
Real-estate diligence should distinguish ownership of buildings from the associated land-use right and should verify permitted use, remaining term, mortgages and planning restrictions.
CONTEXT
Where you see the term
ContextWhat it means there
Real-estate certificateRecords the land-use right together with other property rights.
Industrial projectsLand purpose and term affect development.
M&ATarget-company land rights are checked for title and encumbrances.
TRANSLATION NOTE
文/A
Translation note
土地使用权 is “land-use right”. Translating it as “land ownership” is generally wrong in the PRC context.
AUTHORITY
Primary legal basis
AUTHORITY
Primary legal basis
AUTHORITY
Primary legal basis
ILLUSTRATIVE EXAMPLE
Example
A foreign-invested manufacturer buys a factory company. The diligence confirms the building title but also must verify the underlying industrial land-use right and remaining term.
SOURCES AND REVIEW
Primary authorities.
18 Sep 2026
OFFICIAL SOURCESUPPORTSCHECKED
Interim Regulations on Real Estate Registration (2024 revision)
Interim Regulations on Real Estate Registration (2024 revision)
PRC Land Administration Law (current NPC text)
PRC Land Administration Law (current NPC text)
PRC Civil Code (property-rights framework; official NPC database PDF)
PRC Civil Code (property-rights framework; official NPC database PDF)
MAINTAINED BYChina Legal Portal Editorial
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