Boundary demarcation is vital to China's social stability, economic growth and national unity, State Councilor Ismail Amat said in Beijing January 21.

At a working conference sponsored by the National Boundary Demarcation Office, which opened here this morning, Ismail Amat emphasized that boundary demarcation work should be strengthened to maintain stability in the border areas.

By the end of last year, 84.7 percent of the 60,000 kilometers of provincial borders and 94.5 percent of the 410,000-kilometer boundaries between counties had been demarcated.

However, many boundary disputes still exist in China. A clear demarcation of all provincial and county-level administrative boundaries should be on top of working agenda this year, said Amat.