China News Service, Beijing, March 27 (Reporter Pang Wuji) — Regarding the much-watched unified real estate registration, Chinese authorities have set out a clear timetable.

 

　　Jiang Daming, Minister of Land and Resources of China, stated on the 26th at the first inter-ministerial joint meeting on real estate registration that, starting this year, a unified real estate registration system will be fully established in about three years; in about four years, a unified basic platform for real estate registration information management will be put into operation, achieving real-time mutual sharing of real estate approval, transaction and registration information as well as lawful inquiries, thus forming a unified real estate registration system.

 

　　Unified real estate registration takes land as its core and includes the unified registration responsibilities for real estate such as housing, grasslands, forest land and sea areas. Like the networking of housing information, unified real estate registration is a precondition for levying property tax and is also regarded as one of the “sharp tools” for regulating the real estate market.

 

　　In fact, China proposed a unified real estate registration system many years ago, but the work has been progressing slowly. Problems in the field of real estate registration, such as fragmented management, overlapping functions and cumbersome procedures, have been described by some as “nine dragons managing the water,” with numerous obstacles to “unification.”

 

　　The inter-ministerial joint meeting on real estate registration is led by the Ministry of Land and Resources and composed of nine departments. It is an important deliberative platform for communicating and coordinating the resolution of major issues and for studying and promoting the establishment of a unified real estate registration system. The inter-ministerial joint meeting stressed that when advancing unified registration, continuity of work and a smooth transition must be maintained. The unified real estate registration work will not affect the validity of existing various types of real estate title certificates; after unified real estate rights certificates are issued, new certificates will not be forcibly replaced, but will be gradually replaced through change registration after property rights change, “no change, no replacement,” so as not to increase the burden on enterprises and the public.

 

　　Specifically for this year, the meeting noted that six areas of work will be focused on: First, give play to the role of the inter-ministerial joint meeting system on real estate registration, with the focus on strengthening guidance and supervision over local areas and accelerating the advancement of work linkages as well as the integration of responsibilities and institutional development at all levels.

 

　　Second, accelerate the formulation of the “Real Estate Registration Regulations” and simultaneously put forward suggestions on the “establishment, amendment and repeal” of relevant laws.

 

　　Third, formulate as soon as possible unified registers and rights certificates for real estate registration.

 

　　Fourth, study and formulate an overall plan for the construction of the basic platform for real estate registration information management.

 

　　Fifth, launch and accelerate the confirmation, registration and certification of rural collective construction land, including homestead land, to provide a property rights basis for the reform of market entry of collective operating construction land and the reform of the homestead management system.

 

　　Sixth, properly link the confirmation, registration and certification of rural land contractual management rights with unified registration work, ensuring that work is carried out in accordance with the requirements of unified real estate registration.