This article reviews China’s land system reform along the timeline of economic development and in three stages: land system reform in line with the reform of State-owned enterprises; the housing system reform; and the current urbanisation process. It focuses on the process and characteristics of urbanisation in China and the characteristics of the land system reform con- strained by urbanisation. Combining the current and future characteristics of China’s economic development, this article offers some advice on the balance between urbanisation and rural land management issues.