It is well known that land use change is an extremely complex process,which is resulted from interactions between the natural factors and the economic and social factors But the traditional approach of land use change study is not effective; new topics are required and a comprehensive understanding is necessary for the drivers of land use change In the recent international researches on land use dynamics,the factors from the socioeconomic and political systems and the influence of decision making on land use are regarded as very important factors The conversion of land use is a key process of land use change in the urban fringe of Beijing,which includes two basic aspects:decision making on land use and the allocation of land resources A conceptual model on the mechanism of the conversion of land use is created on the basis of this process,in which land use is shifting from one type to another The importance of the conceptual model mentioned above is in understanding the complexity of land use change,through which the main forces underlying the conversion of land use can be recognized and how they interact with each other and all together take effect is introduced The forces which result in the conversion of land use are "molded"by those factors from the socioeconomic systems Both decision making on land use and the allocation of land resources are also resulted from the economic,social and political systems By making comprehensive analysis on the conversion of land use that took place during the period from 1982 to 1997 in the urban fringe of Beijing,the most important derivers can be learned about and the key relationships between those factors can be identified.