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Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji pledged to bring about a more harmonious development of population, resources and environment and place the sustainable development strategy in a more prominent position.
In his report on the Outline of the Tenth Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development (2001-2005) to the Fourth Session of the Ninth National People's Congress that opened Monday, the premier urged more efforts to do the family planning work well in the rural areas and among the floating population; and establish an interest-oriented family planning mechanism and at the same time develop the undertakings for the aged.
On the issue of protecting natural resources and using them properly, Zhu called for the protection and proper use by law of valuable resources such as fresh water, farmland and energy in accordance with the law; gradually establish a system of reserves for strategically important mineral resources and ensure their safe supply; strengthen the comprehensive development, utilization and conservation of marine resources; increase the recycling of resources in order to utilize the resources more effectively; improve the system of paying compensation for the use of natural resources; safeguard the rights and interests of the state as the owner of mineral and other resources; improve laws and regulations in this regard and strengthen law enforcement.
Referring to improving ecological conservation and strengthening environmental protection, the premier called for greater efforts to complete natural forest protection projects on the upper reaches of the Yangtze River and the upper and middle reaches of the Yellow River, intensify the building of shelterbelt system in Northeast, North and Northwest China and on the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze; control urban pollution by comprehensive measures so as to improve markedly the environmental quality of large and medium-sized cities; protect the rural environment, especially from pollution caused by farm chemicals; and improve the environmental, meteorological and seismological monitoring systems to help prevent and reduce natural disasters.
(Xinhua 03/05/2001)
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