- Rapid urbanisation has put farmers’ land increasingly in the crosshairs of developers
- Two recent changes to Chinese land laws seek to address land expropriation, and represent a milestone in protecting farmers from unjust practices
In August, a viral video showed a cluster of high-rise buildings exploding spectacularly. The unfinished buildings in Kunming, southwest China, were destroyed in a controlled demolition after the developer ran out of money.
The demolition is an emblem of the economic cost of unchecked development. But this zeal for growth also bears a substantial social cost.
In 2014, Kunming was also the site of a deadly confrontation between villagers and construction workers. Eight people died and 18 were injured in the incident triggered by a land redevelopment project that would displace rural residents without adequate compensation and resettlement.
While such violence is reportedly rare in China, conflicts over land expropriation and redevelopment are common amid the largest urbanisation effort in the world.
