Smart Initiatives for Land Resource Management: Perspectives and Practices from China

Land resource management is critical for optimal land use and improved socioeconomic development. In China, land resource management has always faced a dilemma between the excessive demands of land exploitation and the conservation of natural resources and ecological environments. Despite the challenges, recent technological advancements have offered the promise for government officials to better manage land resources using digital and big data technologies. The Chinese government has embarked on smart initiatives for land resource management (SiLRM) by integrating digital technologies with land resource management. However, the field of land resource management lacks a comprehensive framework for incorporating these technologies. This paper first reviews the history and content of SiLRM in China and presents three case studies that demonstrate how SiLRM are currently implemented in China. It then develops a framework for how government officials should deploy advanced IT technologies. The proposed framework, as well as some policy recommendations, could shed light on the future development of an integrated spatial governance system in China, particularly against the backdrop of a recent national reform that integrates multiple planning systems. The proposed framework may also have implications for related practices in other regions and countries worldwide.