China has completed more than 800,000 rural drinking water
projects in recent years, solving difficulties and insecurity in
this regard for 67 million rural residents, says a white paper
entitled Environmental Protection in China (1996-2005)
issued on Monday.
The Chinese government has launched campaigns to build towns and
townships with a beautiful environment and ecologically advanced
villages in recent years, pushing forward comprehensive control of
the rural environment, according to the white paper released by the
Information Office of the State Council of China.
China is concentrating on the demonstration of comprehensive
control of pollution from livestock, poultry and fish breeding, and
non-point pollution in Taihu, Dianchi and Chaohu lakes, as well as
in the Yangtze, Zhujiang and Yellow river deltas, the white paper
says.
Some provinces and municipalities have beefed up control of the
village environment and improved village infrastructure, and made
progress in treating rural sewage and waste and controlling
agricultural non-point pollution, according to the white
paper.
The government has, as well, started the investigation of soil
pollution and demonstration of pollution control throughout the
country, and set up a system of testing and controlling the
security of agricultural products, the white paper says.
It also strengthened the environmental security control of
pesticides and chemical fertilizer, popularized high-efficiency,
low-toxicity and low-residue pesticides, and prohibited the use of
high-toxic and high-residual pesticides in the production of
vegetables, fruits, grain, tea and Chinese medicinal herbs, the
white paper adds.
The government also prevented non-point pollution brought about
by irrational use of chemical fertilizer, pesticides, farm-use
plastic sheeting and wastewater irrigation, so as to ensure the
security of agricultural products, according to the white
paper.
China, at the same time, encouraged the development of
eco-agricultural projects that closely integrates breeding industry
with crop farming, the white paper says.
(Xinhua News Agency June 6, 2006)