SUPPLEMENTS TO THE RESOLUTION OF THE CHINESE COMMUNIST PARTY CENTRAL
COMMITTEE ON THE LAND POLICY IN RESIST-JAPAN BASES

6 February 1942

[Text] In view of the different conditions in the various bases, and even
in the same base, a uniform system in regard to the concrete method of
solving the land issue cannot be followed. The Central has provided the
principles for unified implementation in its resolution on the land policy,
while these supplements propose the concrete method based on such principles for adoption by the various areas. In regard to the items listed
in these supplements, all those compatible with the practical conditions
of the particular areas must be firmly implemented; in regard to items which
are incompatible with the local conditions and require modification, the
various areas may modify them, but they must report such modifications to the
Central and obtain its approval.

(Supplement I) On the Issues of Land Rent and Tenancy Rights

(1) In all areas where rents have not been reduced, the amount of rent must
be lowered by 25 percent (25-percent rent reduction) in principle. In other
words, the amount of rent must be reduced by 25 percent compared with that
before the beginning of the resistance war; this is applicable to public,
private, and tenancy land and land farmed in partnership, whether in forms
of cash, payment in kind, payment by labor, or fixed amount. In regard to
the different forms of partnership farming, the landlord's share must not
be uniformly specified as not more than 40 or 60 percent. It must be decided
according to the labor, plow animal, farm tools, fertilizer, seed, and food
grain contributed by the owner and the tenant and reduced by 25 percent
from the existing rental. In guerilla areas and in the vicinity of enemy-occupied areas, the reduction may be somewhat less than 25 percent. It
should be a reduction of 20, 15, or 10 percent for the purpose of activating
the positivity of the peasants in resisting Japan and rallying the various
classes and strata in the war.

(2) Land rent is uniformly paid after the harvest. The lessor may not ask
the lessee to pay in advance or demand any extra compensation.

(3) Where the entire or greater part of the crop is destroyed due to natural disaster or human calamity, fixed rent (iron rent) may be exempted or
reduced.

(4) Rent arrears for many years must be canceled.

(5) The owner and tenant are both responsible for public grain and public
funds according to the progressive principle. The landlord is responsible
for the land tax.

(6) Where the land rent is to be paid in paper currency and a dispute arises
due to its devaluation, the government must summon both parties to a meeting
to settle it, and the paper currency rental, in part or in whole, may be
changed to payment in kind.

(7) In areas where such reconciliation organs as rental evaluation committees have been formed, the meeting must be participated in by the peasant,
the landlord, and the government, but the government has the right to make
the final decision.

(8) Where there is a permanent tenancy right by contract or by usage, such
right must be preserved. Where there is no such right, it must not be provided by coercion. However, both sides may be encouraged to form a relatively long-term contract, such as for 5 years or more, in order to enable the
peasant to settle down and develop production.

(9) In regard to land under no permanent tenancy right or land where the
contractual period has expired, the lessor has the freedom of disposal according to the contract, including transferring, mortgaging, selling, farming
by himself, and hiring help to farm. Nevertheless, during the resistance war
period the landlord must give consideration to the livelihood of the tenant
when repossessing the land, and he must notify the tenant of his intention
to repossess 3 months before the harvest. Where the tenant is extremely
impoverished, the government must summon both sides to reach an accommodation,
either by extending the tenancy period or by returning only a part of the
tenancy land.

(10) Where the owner wishes to lease, mortgage, or sell the land upon the
expiration of the tenancy contract, the original tenant has priority to
lease, take the mortgage, or buy according to the terms set forth by the
owner.

(11) Where the lessor sells the land under permanent tenancy right or before the contract has expired, the existing lessee has the right to continue
his tenancy, and the new owner may not lease the land to anyone else before
the expiration of the term.

(12) Where the lessee fails to cultivate the land for 2 years for no valid
reason, or where he intentionally fails to pay rent though able to do so,
the lessor has the right to repossess.

(Supplement II) On the Issue of Debts
(1) Interest reduction is a necessary policy dealing with the loan relations
formed before the resistance war in answer to the demands of the debtors as
well as for rallying the creditors to resist Japan. Fifteen percent should
be used as the standard to compute interest. Where the interest exceeds the
principal by 100 percent, the interest will be canceled and only the principal
repaid. Where it exceeds the principal by 200 percent, both interest and
principal will be canceled. As for the amount of interest on loans made after
the beginning of the resistance war, the people must be left to handle the
matter themselves according to local social and economic relations. The government must not set the interest rate too low, as it may discourage loan making
and become unfavorable to the people's livelihood.
(2) The creditor may not rescind the loan contract due to interest reduction;
the debtor may not refuse to pay interest after such reduction. The creditor
has the right to sue for payment according to law.
(3) In regard to the loan relations formed after the beginning of the resistance war, where the debtor does not pay the interest or principal when due,
the creditor has the right to dispose of the collateral according to the
contract. Where there is a dispute, it will be handled by the government.
Where one form of collateral is used to secure several loans, the proceeds
from its sale are distributed according to the chronological order of the
contracts and the ratio of the loans. Where the collateral is land (land
collateral), it is similarly handled.
(4) Where the land has been mortgaged but has not yet turned into a sale,
the mortgagor may redeem it by paying the amount of the existing mortgage.
He cannot change the terms of sale and offer another piece of land. Where
the mortgage has turned into a sale, there may be no redemption. Disputes
due to paper currency devaluation at the time of mortgage redemption will
be settled by the government.
(5) In regard to the loan relations formed after the beginning of the resistance war, where, due to natural disaster, human calamity, or other irresistible causes, the debtor is unable to fulfill the contract, he may apply
to the government for relief, either by reducing the interest or by forgiving the interest but repaying the principal.
(6) Where a debtor repays his debt with paper currency and a dispute arises
due to its devaluation, the government will settle it appropriately.
(Supplement III) On the Handling of Certain Special Land Cases
(1) The land belonging to a traitor guilty of heinous crimes must, as punishment, be confiscated, placed under government control, and leased to the
peasants to farm. Where they have not participated in the traitorous activities, or where their misdeeds are minor, the family members of the traitor
are not included in this provision.

(2) The land of a traitor under coercion must not be confiscated, in order
to show leniency and seek his repentance. Where no one is in charge of the
land, the government will take charge on behalf of the absentee owner, lease
it to the peasants to farm, and restore it to the owner when he returns home
and resists Japan.

(3) In case of a landlord who has fled, regardless of where he has gone, his
land must not be confiscated. Where no one is in charge of the land, the
government will take charge on his behalf, lease it out for cultivation, save
the rental receipts, and pay the land tax and deliver the public grain on his
behalf. Upon his return, the land and the rental receipts to which he is
entitled will be returned to him.

(4) "Hidden" land which has never been taxed on the contract, or which has
never been taxed, must not be confiscated, but the owner will be ordered to
pay the tax and deliver the grain within a time limit. Where he fails to do
so within the time limit, the
government will punish him appropriately.

(5) In the case of clan or association land, the members of the clan or association will organize a management committee to manage it and use the receipts for the public welfare of the particular clan or association.

(6) School land will be preserved for educational purposes, and the government or the local residents will organize an education fund management committee to manage it.

(7) Church land (land belonging to Christian, Buddhist, Moslem, Taoist, or
other religious organizations) will not be disturbed.

(8) Public wasteland will be distributed by the government to the dependents
of resistance war soldiers, refugees, and poor people for reclamation, and
the ownership will also be transferred to them. Tax on the land will be reduced or exempted for a specific period of time.

(9) In the case of private wasteland, regardless of whether it was never
reclaimed or was left uncultivated, the owner will have the first chance to
reclaim it. Where the owner is unable to do so, the government may find
others to reclaim it and reduce or exempt the tax within a specific period
of time. The ownership remains with the original owner, but the person reclaiming the land has a permanent tenancy right.

° CHIEH-FANG JIH-PAO, 6 February 1942

* "Reference Materials on the History of the Chinese Revolution," Vol 4,
Chinese People's University, 1957