China’s nature reserves almost 15% of land area

Beijing (CNS) -- China had set up 2,640 natural protection zones on the mainland by the end of 2011, taking up 14.93 percent (1.49 million sq km) of the national land area, Vice Minister Li Ganjie of Environmental Protection reminded the public on Tuesday. The country's biodiversity has also been improving.

A state commission was established to effect conservation and biodiversity protection in 2010.

In 2012, China is expanding the ecological preserves at the provincial, city and town levels, added Li, in cooperation with U.N. missions. The measures include enforcing ecological assessments and improving management of currently protected zones.