Anchor: China's State Forestry Administration has vowed to continue its forestry ecological construction, with combating desertification at the top of the agenda.
Spokesman Cao Qingyao made the pledge while noting China's astonishing ecological achievements in the past years. Xu Weiyi has the details.
Reporter: Statistics from the State Forestry Administration show that desertification affects nearly 400 million people in China.
In light of this situation, Cao Qingyao says China is still faced with huge tasks in controlling desertification.
"The total area suffering from desertification is more than 2.6 million square kilometers, comprising nearly 30 percent of China's territory. In a word, fighting against desertification is still an urgent and arduous task. "
The spokesman says the central government's stimulus package allocates one billion yuan, or 150 million US dollars, for the conservation of natural forests.
In 2000, China launched a project to plant trees and grass to slow desertification in five regions in northern China, including Beijing.
