China's draft law on the mediation and arbitration of rural land contract disputes was submitted on Monday for a third reading by lawmakers.

The proposed law has been revised since its second draft. In the third version, the draft adds "mediation" to its title, with a greater focus on reconciliation before conflicts go to arbitration.

The draft regulates the mediation process in a new chapter, recommending that local government officials explain laws and regulations to farmers and encourage them to resolve conflicts through mediation.

The draft law represents an attempt to standardize the arbitration process, with land contract disputes having become more frequent and varied in recent years. These disputes are addressed as "a factor affecting rural harmony and stability."

According to the draft law, local governments can set up arbitration committees on rural land contract management disputes at both the county and city levels.

The committees will be responsible for hiring arbitrators, hearing disputes and supervising the process of arbitration. The committees should inform applicants of whether they'll accept cases in less than five working days.

Disputes over land use have led the Ministry of Agriculture's petition list since 2003, with about 44 percent of those in 2006 being land-related.

Lawmakers are expected to deliberate the law during the ninth session of the Standing Committee of the 11th National People's Congress, which runs from June 22 to 27.

(Xinhua News Agency June 23, 2009)