BEIJING, May 25 (Xinhua) -- The environment watchdog has launched planning for soil environment protection for the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025).

Scientific planning should be made to further protect soil and groundwater, as well as the agricultural and rural ecological environment for the next five years, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE) said.

The MEE stressed the planning should be based on the achievements and challenges of the soil environment protection in the 13th Five-Year Plan period (2016-2020), in a bid to help complete the phased objectives of the battle against pollution.

The path of green development is vital for China, as the country has stepped up rolling out measures to enhance environmental protection.