Chinese vice premier stresses protection of biological diversity

BEIJING - China will make more efforts to protect biological diversity, Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli said Monday.

Safeguarding the country's biological diversity should be regarded as an important task for realizing China's green development and a foundation for the long-lasting development of the Chinese nation, said Zhang, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee.

Zhang said in some places the eco-system has seen serious deterioration, with plants and animals facing threats of extinction.

He asked authorities to harshly punish acts damaging biological diversity and advance legislation on the protection of nature reserves. The collection, research and exploitation of biological resources should also be standardized.

He said China will launch several major projects in this area and set biological diversity protection as an index for evaluating local governments' performance.