Accurate and rapid conflict identification of potential land use can effectively coordinate the conflicting land types to deal with the ever-increasingly severe land use in recent years. Taking the main urban area of Anshan as the research object, a multi-objective suitability evaluation was carried out to protect the cultivated land near the main urban areas using ArcGIS software. A mapping function and coupling coordination degree model were also selected to identify the conflict zones. Auxiliary decision-making support was provided to integrate with the third line in the land and space planning, particularly to implement differentiated use and protection of surrounding cultivated land. The research results show that the height suitable for cultivated land was 2 459.00 hm2; accounting for 24.72%, and the moderate cultivated land was 7 423.05 hm2, accounting for 74.64%, indicating more than 90% of the surrounding areas of the main urban area. The cultivated land presented strong farming suitability. The areas of highly suitable construction and moderately suitable construction were 1 736.63 hm2 and 7 666.78 hm2 respectively, accounting for 5.43% and 77.09%, respectively. Most cultivated land around the city presented strong construction suitability, indicating a greater risk of potential cultivated land-use conflicts. Cultivated land around the main urban area was divided into 9 types of areas, including 3 types of potential land use conflict zones, accounting for 22.20% of the total area. These lands were mainly distributed around the main urban area and along the main roads, indicating superior natural resource conditions and significant geographical advantages. Geographical location factors, 3 types of farming advantages were non-conflict areas, accounting for 67.33% of the total area. The area presented complete irrigation and drainage facilities, as well as high organic matter content, but it was far away from the main road with low construction suitability, particularly suitable for agricultural purposes. 3 types of construction advantages were conflict-free areas, accounting for 10.47% of the total area. The effective soil thickness of cultivated land in this area was thin, mainly clay soil and lack of irrigation and drainage facilities, but the distance from the central city and roads was relatively short. Recently, good location and high construction suitability were a candidate area for newly-added construction land. Taking into account the natural, geographical and socio-economic conditions of cultivated land around the city, the high-quality contiguous cultivated land in the high and medium potential conflict areas and the farming advantaged areas were designated as permanent basic farmland, particularly benefits to the higher level of mechanization and large-scale agricultural production. There was construct scattered cultivated land in advantageous areas as land for flexible development of urban development boundaries. The land greatly contributed to the vitality of inventory, the degree of land saving, and intensive use in the main urban area, but to reduce the occupation of cultivated land around the city. The cultivated land in the low potential conflict area within the ecological red line was designated as Ecological land to ensure the stability of the ecological security pattern around the city. The finding can provide strong references for the conflict discrimination of suitable types of cultivated land use, while the protection of cultivated land around cities.