ABSTRACT: The government of China targeted conversion of farmland to industrial and residential uses, especially in the most productive agricultural regions, as the chief threat to the nation’s continued capacity to produce adequate levels of staple cereals. In response, it has introduced a number of measures aimed at protecting farmland, especially farmland with the greatest production potential. This paper reviews the existing evidence regarding the performance of China’s farmland protection policies in light of its food security goals. We summarize recent farmland protection measures. Despite administrative restrictions on farmland conversion, cropland continues to decline. The evidence suggests that a substantial