South China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region will replace gasoline and diesel oil with bio-ethanol fuel at all petrol stations starting in April, a top regional official said here during the parliamentary session.

Eight other Chinese provinces and regions have promoted ethanol fuel but Guangxi is the first to commercially produce biofuel with cassava instead of grain, said Li Jinzao, a deputy to the 11th National People's Congress.

Guangxi produces at least 6 million tons of cassava a year, more than 60 percent of China's total.

In December, the region launched the country's first ethanol fuel production base in Beihai City with an annual output of 200,000 tons, said Li, also vice chairman of the region.

Ethanol fuel is believed to help cut greenhouse gas emissions and ease China's energy supply bottleneck.

Chinese officials said the country would increase biodiesel output to 200,000 tons by 2010 and 2 million tons by 2020.

China banned the use of grain for ethanol production last year to ensure sufficient food supplies.

(Xinhua News Agency March 7, 2008)