Government agencies will forge closer links to stop illegal land acquisition and provide better protection for the country's depleting arable land banks, a top official said yesterday.

"We are exploring new ways to involve other departments to go after those found acquiring land illegally," Gan Zangchun, deputy State land inspector-general of the Ministry of Land and Resources said.

The scheme will see violators being denied registration with industrial administrations and bank loans in related transactions, Gan said at a press conference.