China’s property law framework is underpinned by a series of fundamental laws and statutory reforms that define the ownership, usage and transfer of both urban and rural property. These statutes not only reflect the evolution of property law in China but also highlight the country’s ongoing efforts to balance state control with private property rights, aiming to foster economic development while ensuring social stability and equity. The dynamic nature of China’s property law framework continues to evolve in response to domestic and international economic pressures, requiring continuous analysis and adaptation. Notwithstanding the ongoing signs of progress, Chinese property law faces several challenges that stem from rapid economic development, urbanization, ideological inertia and the legal complexities of transitioning to a market-oriented economy. Rather than a linear transition to private ownership, China’s institutional reform of rural land markets is more complex than orthodoxy economic theory, law and development theory suggests.