China optimizes territorial space development to build 'green territorial configuration': white paper
CGTN
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China is making efforts to optimize its territorial space planning system to promote the construction of a green terrestrial configuration, according to a white paper entitled "China's Green Development in the New Era," released by the State Council Information Office Thursday.

"A country's territorial space is the carrier for green development," said Liu Guohong, Vice Minister of Natural Resources, at the news conference. China has integrated different plans into a single master plan for territorial space development, he added.

Liu Guohong, Vice Minister of Natural Resources speaks at the news conference, as China's State Council Information Office releases a white paper in Beijing, China, January 19, 2023. (Photo:CFP)

1. Development of security

"In the light of food security, priority will be given to drawing a red line for the protection of arable land and permanent basic cropland, and the task of protecting 1.865 billion mu (124 million hectares) of arable land from 2021 to 2035 will remain unchanged," said Liu.

In keeping with the natural ecological security barrier, China has set up scientific eco-environmental conservation red lines (ECRLs). More than 30 percent of China's land area is now under the protection of ECRLs, according to the white paper.

The country has established centralized control over the use of territorial space and ensured that these lines are not crossed, Liu added.

2. Protection and exploration

China has scientifically designated agricultural, ecological, urban and other functional zones, and improved the territorial space layout that consists of three major zones – main agricultural production zones, key ecosystem service zones and urbanized zones, Liu said.

"We encourage urban and rural areas to make good use of existing construction land, promote urban development, and build a livable, business-friendly and beautiful countryside," Liu added.

3. Conservation and restoration

China will continue to strengthen eco-environmental conservation and restoration of mountains, rivers, forests, farmland, lakes, grasslands and deserts, said Liu.

A new type of protected area (PA) system has been set up in China, which refers to major platforms for eco-environmental conservation. China is developing a PA system with national parks as the mainstay, supported by nature reserves and supplemented by nature parks, according to the white paper. As of the end of 2021, nearly 10,000 PAs of various types and levels had been established, covering more than 17 percent of China's land area.

CGTN Graphics

From 2012 to 2021, 64 million hectares of trees were planted, 18.53 million hectares of land, and 40 million hectares of land were improved through planting grass, and more than 800,000 hectares of wetland were added or restored. In 2021, the forest coverage ratio hit 24 percent, while the forest stock volume grew to 19.5 billion cubic meters. Both figures represented 30 consecutive years of growth, making China the country with the highest growth in forest resources and the largest area of artificial forest, according to the white paper.

"We will continue to improve the national territorial space planning system, and strictly implement the management system for the use of national territorial space, so as to better promote high-quality development and achieve a high level of security," Liu said.