Speaking at the closing ceremony of the 12th International Soil Conservation Organization Conference, ISCO representative Eric Roose said that while many countries have realized the importance of soil and water conservation, China has rendered the most forceful policy support to the job, and achieved great progress in small watershed water and soil control.

According to official statistics, China has treated more than 800,000 square kilometers (308,000 square miles) of soil-eroded area during the past 50 years.

However, China remains as one of the countries facing serious soil erosion situation. A remote-sensing survey shows that 3.56 million square kilometers (1.37 million square miles) of land in China is ravaged by soil erosion, accounting for 37 percent of China's land area.

He Wenheng, chief engineer with China's Ministry of Water Resources, said that soil erosion is a major environmental problem confronting many developing countries. These countries should cooperate in scientific research and technological development to protect their resources and environment.

(People's Daily June 1, 2002)