Zhang.jpg (Photo : Reuters)
Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli announced on Monday that the country will ramp up efforts to safeguard biological diversity, according to a Global Times report.
Zhang, who is also a member of the Standing Committee of the Communist Party of China Central Committee's Political Bureau, said that for China's aspirations for green development to materialize, it must preserve its biological diversity.
The official also said that a commitment to this task will lead to the long-lasting development of China in areas other than the environment.
Zhang mentioned that the ecosystems of some places in the country have been greatly damaged and some components of the flora and fauna are on the brink of extinction.
He called on public officials to mete out severe punishment to those proven to have caused damage to biological diversity, as well as enact more laws for the preservation of nature reserves.
Zhang also urged a regulation for research, collection and exploitation of environmental resources.
The vice premier said that the central government will include environmental protection in the criteria for assessing the performance of local governments.
The country, he said, will mount a number of major programs in biological diversity to address problems in the area.
