Recently, the final results of the 2025 Liaoning Provincial Natural Resources Science and Technology Awards were announced. The project “Pilot Program for the Entrusted-Agency Mechanism for the Ownership of State-Owned Natural Resource Assets in Liaoning Province: Innovations in Planning, Reserve and Management Models”, jointly completed by Associate Professor Han Yingfu and Professor Guo Jie of the Law School at Liaoning University (LNU), won First Prize for Scientific and Technological Progress.

The principal institutions contributing to the project were LNU and the Liaoning Provincial Natural Resources Affairs Service Center. In full alignment with the requirements set out in the Pilot Plan for the Entrusted-Agency Mechanism for the Ownership of State-Owned Natural Resource Assets, issued by the General Office of the CPC Central Committee and the General Office of the State Council, the project was tailored to the specific conditions of Liaoning Province. Focusing on key reform priorities — including clarifying ownership, exercising ownership rights, safeguarding owners’ rights and interests, and fulfilling owner responsibilities — the project developed an innovative, end-to-end policy framework featuring “advance planning → optimized reserves → innovative management models”. It produced a systematic body of high-quality and impactful outcomes that received positive instructions from leading officials, were adopted by central ministries and commissions, applied by provincial authorities, promoted by relevant operational departments, and recognized by industry experts. The project has contributed LNU expertise to advancing the reform of Liaoning’s natural resource asset management system and provided valuable insights for nationwide innovation in the entrusted-agency mechanism for the ownership of state-owned natural resource assets.

The award is not only a strong recognition of the quality of the project’s outcomes, but also an affirmation of the research and innovation capabilities of LNU’s team specializing in the rule of law concerning natural resources. It further demonstrates the University’s commitment to contributing to reforms in key national fields and supporting the effective management and allocation of natural resources. Looking ahead, the project team will continue to conduct in-depth research into major theoretical and institutional issues arising from legal practices in the field of natural resources, contributing further LNU expertise to advancing the law-based development of ecological civilization and the reform of natural resource management.