China's national wildlife epidemic surveillance and control system is taking shape, according to a senior forestry official.

The system made up of 150 state-level and 400 province-level monitoring stations has played an important role in the prevention and control of bird flu, said Zhao Xuemin, deputy director of the State Forestry Administration.

This is only the first phase of the national system for epidemic surveillance and control of terricolous wildlife, especially migratory birds, according to a state plan, said Zhao at a wetland protection meeting held in Jiangxi Province, east China.

Under the plan, at least 300 state-level monitoring stations will be built, together with more local stations.

Migratory birds are claimed as one of the contributory factors to bird flu.

Last year, some 30 outbreaks of bird flu were reported in 11 provinces and autonomous regions across China, including one among migratory birds in northwestern Qinghai Province.

(Xinhua News Agency January 11, 2006)