The concept of land development rights is a crucial theoretical framework in China’s spatial governance system, playing a significant role throughout the processes of land use planning, implementation, and management. As China progresses into a new phase of governance modernization, the relationship between land development rights and spatial policies has attracted considerable scholarly attention. This paper explores the dynamic interactions between land development rights and spatial policies, with the goal of clarifying the evolution of research in this field. Utilizing CiteSpace, an information visualization tool, this study systematically reviews the literature on land development rights from 1994 to 2023, examining how the research has evolved under various spatial policy contexts. By combining visual maps generated through CiteSpace with traditional bibliometric methods, the study identifies three primary stages in the research on land development rights in China: the land-centered urbanization phase, the phase of spatial land-use control under the “integration of multiple plans”, and the phase emphasizing ecological governance, with land development rights gradually centralizing within the central government. First, the intertwining of institutional design and the progression of land development rights research reveals the complexity of policy development. This highlights the need for integrated approaches to address both land rights and spatial policy simultaneously. Second, the ongoing erosion of rural land development rights, alongside the growing disparities between different rural areas, has become an increasingly pronounced trend. The loss of land development rights in rural areas, coupled with the expanding differences between regions, further exacerbates the inequality in land access and utilization. This trend highlights the intensification of rural-urban and intra-rural disparities, underscoring the urgent need for policy measures that address these imbalances and ensure more equitable land rights protection across all rural communities. Third, the inadequacy of compensation mechanisms for land development rights has led to significant regional inequities. This trend points to the need for comprehensive reforms in compensation systems to ensure fair and equitable distribution of land-related benefits, especially in rural areas. Moreover, this paper provides an outlook on the future directions of land development rights research within the national spatial planning framework. It anticipates that future studies will focus on three key areas. The first is spatial development research centered on spatial planning disciplines, which will explore how land development rights interact with national and regional spatial development strategies. This research will examine the role of land rights in shaping the urban-rural development landscape and will focus on sustainable land use practices. The second area of focus is urban and rural spatial governance during the era of land stock updates. As China continues to address issues of land redistribution, urban renewal, and rural revitalization, this research will examine governance mechanisms that manage land development rights across different spatial contexts, aiming to mitigate regional inequalities. The third research direction involves integrating qualitative theoretical studies with spatial layout simulations. This approach willallow scholars to bridge the gap between theory and practice, offering new perspectives on how to optimize land development rights within spatial governance frameworks. Together, these research areas will offer a comprehensive understanding of land development rights within China’s spatial governance framework. This paper suggests that land development rights research will be critical in addressing challenges related to urban-rural integration, ecological sustainability, and equitable development. The integration of land development rights into spatial policies will be fundamental to advancing China’s goal of achieving balanced and sustainable development. By fostering more efficient land governance mechanisms, these studies will contribute to overcoming existing challenges in spatial planning and ensuring that land use benefits are distributed more equitably. In conclusion, this paper underscores the continued importance of research on land development rights within the context of China’s evolving spatial governance system. As it refines its national spatial planning policies, the development of effective governance mechanisms to manage land development rights will become increasingly important. Understanding the complex relationships between land rights, governance structures, and regional disparities will be key to formulating policies that foster equitable and efficient land use strategies. Therefore, land development rights research will remain integral to shaping policies that promote sustainable and inclusive growth in both urban and rural areas across China. By focusing on the relationship between spatial policies and land development rights, future studies will provide valuable insights for the continued advancement of China’s land governance framework, ensuring that land development benefits all regions fairly and equitably. This study provides a framework for future policy development and scholarly inquiry, facilitating deeper exploration of the interactions between land development rights, spatial governance, and equitable land distribution in China.