Shaanxi Province has finished the designs for the construction of 17 national-class ecological demonstration areas that covers one third of the province's total area. Work has already started to implement the designs, with a view to making the province an ecologically friendly one.

The province attaches great importance to ecological building and environmental protection and make it as an important basis in its efforts to develop its economy. It divides its area into districts for ecological building and sets up classified demonstration projects for each district. The efforts feature development of an agricultural cycle economy, green products and organic foodstuffs. It is also designed to control pollution, attach importance to the construction of forested land in urban areas, the development of an eco-agriculture, eco-tourism and an ecological cultural construction.

The province issued a circular, setting forth the principles and requirements for management at different levels. It has designated 18 ecological demonstration counties, 40 such townships, 387 such villages and 11 such small towns as a network for further expansion.

(www.cenews.com .cn November 18, 2002)