China mulls strengthening Qinghai-Tibet Plateau biodiversity protection through legislation

BEIJING, Dec. 27 (Xinhua) -- China is considering intensifying the ecological security and biodiversity protection of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau through new legislation.

A draft law on ecological conservation on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau was on Tuesday submitted to the National People's Congress Standing Committee, China's top legislature, for its second reading.

The quality and functions of the ecological system on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau have direct impacts on the country's ecological security, biodiversity and water resource supply, among other areas, playing a unique and irreplaceable role in maintaining ecological security in China and the world at large.

Based on a draft submitted for its first reading in August 2022, the new draft highlights more efforts that would strengthen ecological protection and restoration and improve biodiversity protection on the plateau.

It makes adjustments to stipulations on the protection of wild animal migration routes, compensation for livestock losses caused by wild animals, and a national biodiversity protection campaign.

The new draft adds provisions requiring the government to take effective steps to guard against ecological risks, such as climate change and natural disasters, to safeguard the ecological security of the plateau.

It also makes stipulations on public participation, supervision measures and the management of tourist activities on the plateau.