The　Chinese　government　has　recently　been　attaching　increasing　importance　to　the　application　of　effective　legal　tools　to　tackle　land　degradation　(LD)　issues.　Based　on　the　concept　of　sustainable　development,　China　began　developing　and　reaping　the　benefits　of　environmental　and　natural　resources　legislation　including　LD　control　regulations　in　the　1990s.　In　the　past　three　years,　some　central-western　provinces　in　China　have　been　implementing　a　＂People＇s　Republic　of　China/Global　Environment　Facility　(PRC/GEF)　Partnership　on　LD　Control　of　Dryland　Ecosystems＂,　which　is　based　on　an　integrated　ecosystem　management　(IEM)　approach.　IEM　is　designed　to　achieve　a　balanced,　scientific　and　participatory　approach　to　natural　resources　management,　which　creates　the　potential　to　improve　the　quality　of　Chinese　environmental　law　and　policy　procedures.　The　paper　studies　the　existing　Chinese　national　laws　and　regulations　pertinent　to　LD　control　within　9　areas　covering　land,　desertification,　soil　erosion,　grassland,　forest,　water,　agriculture,　wild　animals　and　plants,　and　environment　protection　in　detail,　against　IEM　principles　and　basic　legal　elements.　The　main　objective　is　to　identify　problems　and　provide　feasible　solutions　and　recommendations　for　the　improvement　of　the　existing　laws　and　regulations.　The　authors　conclude　that　the　development　of　an　improved　national　legislative　framework　is　essential　if　LD　control　is　to　be　successfully　achieved.　The　paper　is　partly　based　on　Component　1　-　Improving　Policies,　Laws　and　Regulations　for　Land　Degradation　Control　under　PRC/GEF　Partnership　on　Land　Degradation　in　Dryland　Ecosystems　(TA　4357).