China's Central Conference on Rural Work has commenced. The annual gathering sets the tone for next year's agricultural and rural development.

Following years of reform in rural development, farmers are now officially allowed to transfer their land rights to individuals or conglomerates.

Guidelines issued by the central government have also called for the separation of farmland ownership rights, contract rights, and operating rights.

This would allow farmers to retain the rights to their allotted land even if they choose to lease the land to others.

The separation of the three rights means that the operating rights will now hold equal importance in relation to the other two, indicating a big step forward in protecting the interests of farmland operators.

"Over the years, land has actually been in circulation. Land management rights have been separated, so the idea we have introduced is an induction and summary of the system that has already happened in terms of management separation," said Ye Xingqing, Dir. General Research D. of Rural Economy, DRC.

"In regards to the land in rural areas, we have collective ownership, land contracts and land management. The reform of the separation of divisions is a great theoretical innovation and institutional innovation," said Han Jun, Vice Mnister, Development Research Center of the State Council.