China to establish new national parks on Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

BEIJING, May 22 (Xinhua) -- China will set up a new batch of national parks this year on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, and in the basins of the Yangtze River and the Yellow River, said the National Forestry and Grassland Administration Sunday.

Through years of efforts, China has effectively protected 90 percent of typical terrestrial ecosystem types, and increased the wild populations of over 300 rare and endangered wild animals and plants, according to the administration.

China will accelerate the development of a nature reserve system based around national parks, the ministry noted, adding that more than 80 percent of key state-protected wildlife species and their habitats will be under effective protection.