The Beijing Municipal Government plans to build 650 hectares of green area in down town and residential areas in the next five years.

The city added 2,667 ha of green area last year, as much as the total for the previous six years. Trees and grass were also planted on more than 500 ha of area in over 400 newly developed residential area, according to the capital afforestation committee.

Beijing is set to build a 2,333-ha green belt and plant two million trees in the urban area this year. Every district in the city is required to build a green zone the size above 10,000 sq.m.

(Eastday.com 01/31/2001)