China's First Plan to Develop Western Land ResourcesChina's first plan for the development of land resources in its western region was presented Wednesday in Beijing.The plan, formulated by the Ministry of Land and Resources (MLR), will guide the country's 12 western provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities in the development and use of mineral resources, the protection of eco-systems, the construction of infrastructural facilities, and the development of the tourist industry over the next five to ten years. Pan Wencan, director of the Planning Department with the MLR, said that China's western region possesses a huge potential for further development. However, protection of the western area's fragile ecosystem should be re-inforced to maintain a balance between development and land utilization. The plan covers not only ways of developing important mineral resources in the western region but also attempts to provide a comprehensive scheme to avoid land erosion and desertification. China is to conduct geological research in the upper reaches of the Yangtze and Yellow rivers as well as on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau over the next five years. A survey of western mineral resources will also be done, according to Pan. The distribution and total volume of underground water will also be evaluated in an effort to efficiently use water resources while measures will be taken to safeguard the region from geological disasters. Pan said that the overall objective of the newly launched plan is to maintain fast, healthy and sustainable development in the region. The plan covers over 70 percent of China's total land area. China's western region is one of the areas with the most abundant mineral resources in the world. |
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