"We've had such amazing growth because land expropriation is cheap and so is labor, " he explained.

CNN: China's high-speed trains attract frustrated fliers

Fifteen months ago, not far from Shangpu, the village of Wukan erupted over similar accusations of illegal land expropriation.

BBC: China's Shangpu village fights back over land grab

They represent a feeling of economic and political exclusion and their demands include redistribution of land and expropriation of private property and foreign capital in favor of indigenous cooperatives and other forms of economic autonomy.

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There will be no construction beyond the existing construction line, no expropriation of land for construction, no special economic incentives and no construction of new settlements.

WSJ: Hillary Is Wrong About the Settlements

It has increased the tax on unfarmed land, and speeded up expropriation procedures.

ECONOMIST: Brazil

Officials counter that they do not intend to seize productive land, and that compensation would be paid for any expropriation.

ECONOMIST: Venezuela

Despite the government's flagging land-reform plan, there seems little chance it will resort to large-scale expropriation at below-market prices.

ECONOMIST: Land reform in South Africa