As a consequence of economic and political reforms in 1978, there is increasing pressure and opportunity for the conversion of agricultural land to non-agricultural purposes in China. However, there is a need to balance rural economic development with requirements for food and the protection of the productive capacity of land. The designation any use of rural land in China has been a source of conflict among competing interests and balancing the necessities of economic and social development with farmland preservation has become a complicated undertaking.; This thesis investigates the conflicting demands for rural land use in Zhejiang Province and the means by which these demands are dealt with and influenced by the various stakeholders at the local level. In particular, it considers the processes and consequences of agricultural land conversion, and presents a case study of Yuhang County. First, attention is given to the institutional regulation of change, the physical nature of both recent and planned land use change, and future development plans of the study area. Second, the impacts, perceptions, and awareness of farmland conversion at the village scale, and the roles of these individuals within the process are addressed. Key-informant interviews with local officials and village household questionnaires, combined with secondary data sources, provide the basis for the research results. A synthesis of these sources reveals farmland conversion and development as an increasing priority to local governments, with economic and social implications for local village communities.
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