A new forest covering over 1,400 hectares of land will be created in Xining, capital of northwest China's Qinghai Province, according to local officials.

The new forest will increase the city's forest coverage to 20 percent from 14 percent at present when it is completed, officials said.

With an investment of more than 14.8 million yuan ( 1.8 million US dollars), the forest will also help prevent soil erosion in more than 170,000 square kilometers.

As the largest industrial city on the upper reaches of the Yellow River, Xining has long suffered from draught and soil erosion.

The local government has made great afforestation efforts in the city, and last month a forest of 1,400 hectares was completed at a cost of 8 million yuan.