State management of idle agricultural lands: The experience of China and Russia

Sustainable agricultural development is a strategic priority for nations like China and Russia. Its achievement is directly dependent on the efficiency and rationality of resource use, particularly land resources. However, both China and Russia currently face the challenge of underutilization of agricultural lands. This article aims to examine and critically assess the Chinese and Russian experiences in bringing idle agricultural lands back into economic circulation for further implementation in the practice of public administration in the field of land use. The study reveals that China's proposed solution involves reforming the separation of ownership rights, contract rights, and land management rights in rural areas (the "Three Rights Separation" reform). Key factors driving the reform of the mechanism for relinquishing agricultural land contract rights (rural land contract rights withdrawal) are identified, including the large-scale migration of surplus agricultural labor to urban areas in China and the prevalence of part-time farming. The article characterizes the differences in land relinquishment mechanisms and the specific behaviors of farmers in implementing them across three Chinese counties. It also determines the scale, trends, and factors contributing to the problem of idle agricultural lands in Russia and its northern regions. An overview of Russian state programs and those of Northwestern regions aimed at returning unused agricultural lands to circulation is provided. Based on a synthesis of Chinese and Russian experiences, the study substantiates the necessity of considering territorial specifics when developing and implementing mechanisms for land relinquishment/withdrawal, as well as when choosing prospective directions for their subsequent use (agriculture, tourism, other types of entrepreneurship, etc.). The research findings can serve as a theoretical and methodological foundation and reference material for improving state land-use policy.