China's Qinghai achieves plateau eco-protection, economic development

XINING, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- Northwest China's Qinghai Province has made notable progress in promoting both ecological protection on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and high-quality development over the past decade, officials said at a press briefing on Wednesday.

Qinghai has given priority to green development while improving living standards for all ethnic groups, said Xin Changxing, secretary of the Qinghai Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China.

Over the past 10 years, the water conservation in Sanjiangyuan, home to the headwaters of the Yangtze, Yellow and Lancang rivers, has increased at an average annual rate of over 6 percent, while grassland coverage and grass yield increased by 11 percent and 30 percent, respectively. Wildlife populations continue to increase.

Qinghai has built two 10-million-kilowatt renewable energy bases in its pursuit of low-carbon economic development. The installed capacity of clean energy accounted for 91 percent of the total installed power capacity of the province.

Qinghai spent more than 75 percent of its fiscal expenditure on improving people's livelihoods every year. The per capita disposable income of residents has increased by 126 percent compared with 2012.

Qinghai will continue to prioritize ecological protection and push forward the development of characteristic industries, said Wu Xiaojun, governor of Qinghai.