Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao is urging the full protection of Chinese farmers’ rights to their property.

Wen’s demand follows a long-running demonstration by residents in the southern Chinese village of “Wukan” in Guangdong Province over corruption among local officials.

The anticorruption protest began in late September this year after local officials sold land to real estate developers without properly compensating villagers. The movement developed into a local uprising in December after a representative of the villagers died while in police custody.

The Chinese prime minister said in a meeting Tuesday that greater importance must be placed on protecting farmers’ social security benefits and rights to their land and property. He added that no one has the authority to deprive farmers of their rights. Wen said the government must reform the system of commandeering farmland for development and allow farmers to earn due benefits.