(Photo: Xinhua)

LONDON, June 5 (Xinhua) -- China, with its "strong commitment" in ecological conservation, has achieved some "remarkable outcomes" in its long-term national strategy for promoting sustainable development, an expert from Centre for Agriculture and Biosciences International (CABI) said.

"We applaud the Chinese government for its strong commitment and increasing investment in ecological conservation in recent years," Dr Hariet L. Hinz told Xinhua in an interview ahead of World Environment Day, a UN campaign celebrated every year on June 5 to raise awareness about the protection of the environment.

"China has highlighted ecological civilization as a long-term national strategy for promoting sustainable development, aiming at achieving harmony between people and nature, and by pursuing green development and guiding the transformation of production methods and lifestyle of the entire society," said Dr Hinz, co-director of China MARA (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs)-CABI European Joint Laboratory.

"China's immense efforts in fighting pollution, restoring forest land and protecting wildlife are commendable," said Dr Hinz, who is also the country director of CABI Switzerland.

To conserve the environment, China has adopted measures including massive tree-planting and coral restoration campaigns, clamping down on illegal wastewater discharge, treating polluted rivers and launching public education activities.

"Some of China's national ecological sustainability and protected area programs are among the world's largest, and they together have achieved remarkable outcomes," said Dr Hinz.

"What other developing countries can learn is that to make these programs succeed requires strong political will and foresight to balance economic development with environment protection, the development of a sound policy and legislation framework, substantial financial commitment, mindset change, and public education and awareness-raising etc," said Dr Hinz.

Dr Hinz also believes that international collaboration is "of paramount importance" to the development of greener agriculture in China and beyond.

CABI, headquartered in Britain, is an international, inter-governmental, not-for-profit organization that improves people's lives worldwide by providing information and applying scientific expertise to solve problems in agriculture and the environment.

With a close partnership for over 30 years, China and CABI have achieved outstanding results through the establishment of joint laboratories in China and Switzerland and implementation of many joint research and development cooperation projects.

"In addition to those projects benefiting China directly, the joint labs have also assisted in introducing China's green plant protection products/techniques to developing countries under the umbrella of South-South cooperation and the Belt and Road Initiative," Dr Hinz said.

Many of these programs have helped pave the way for more sustainable crop production, as well as establishing a better environment and healthier lives for the farm households in the target region, according to Dr Hinz.