The forest cover rate in the Chinese capital Beijing is expected to surpass 48 percent in five years time, according to a recent meeting on local afforestation project.

According to the target, for each urbanite of Beijing there will be 15 square meters of grass land, and for those who live in suburban areas, there will be 15 to 20 square meters of forested land.

Beijing has planted 112,000 hectares of trees in the past five years, with the forest cover rate reaching 43 percent, up from the former 36.2 percent. Green land in urban areas rose to 36 percent compared with the former 32.4 percent five years ago.

Per capita green land now is 35 square meters in the urban areas, and 50 square meters in suburban areas.

(People's Daily 01/18/2001)