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In January this year, President Xi Jinping said at the 2022 World Economic Forum Virtual Session that China is now building the world's most extensive national parks system. What measures will forestry and grassland departments take to this end? Thank you.

Li Chunliang:

Thank you for your attention to the development of national parks. It has been 10 years since the target of establishing a national parks system was first put forward at the Third Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee in 2013. Over the past decade, General Secretary Xi Jinping has personally planned, deployed, and promoted the development of national parks. He announced the designation of China's first group of national parks and declared that the country is putting in place the world's most extensive national parks system. The NFGA, other relevant departments, local Party committees and governments have earnestly implemented General Secretary Xi's important instructions. We have firmly shouldered the glorious mission and political responsibility entrusted to us by the CPC Central Committee, explored boldly and actively made innovation. It is fair to say that the development of national parks has become the highlight of our forestry and grassland work over the past decade and a bright spot of our endeavor to promote ecological conservation and build a beautiful China. This is reflected in the following five aspects.

First, we have explored a national park development path with Chinese characteristics by piloting the national parks system. Since 2015, China has launched 10 pilot programs for the national parks system, strengthened top-level design, and formulated the principles of "putting ecological protection first, representing the national image, and benefitting the public" for national park development. National parks will be authorized by the central government and jointly developed by the central and local governments. China has accumulated experience in promoting innovation in the management system, ecological conservation, and community integration.

Second, we have achieved notable progress in protecting the ecological environment of the first group of national parks. The Sanjiangyuan National Park covers the source areas of the Yangtze River, Yellow River, and Lancang River. The Giant Panda National Park connects giant panda habitats that initially belonged to 73 nature reserves and 13 metapopulations. And 72% of wild giant pandas in the country have been effectively protected. The Northeast China Tiger and Leopard National Park has facilitated the migration of wild animals. The number of Siberian tigers has topped 50, and the number of Amur leopards has exceeded 60. The function of the rainforest ecosystem in the Hainan Tropical Rainforest National Park has been gradually restored. In the last two years, a Hainan gibbon cub was born and two were monitored in the park, increasing the island's gibbon population to 36 in five families. In the Wuyishan National Park, 14 new species were discovered in the past three years. At the same time, new national parks are being built in an orderly manner, and they will be designated once they are well-established.

Third, we have actively promoted the building of legal and policy systems for national park development. We have issued the Provisional Measures for the Management of National Parks and the Guidelines on the Establishment of National Parks, and launched and enforced five sets of national standards and a series of industry standards. We are soliciting public opinions on the draft law on national parks, and Sept. 19 is the closing date. We welcome your suggestions. In addition, fiscal policy support has been improved for the protection and restoration, ecological compensation, research and monitoring, and science popularization related to national parks.

Fourth, we have coordinated ecological conservation and green development. We have stayed committed to balancing ecological conservation, green development, and better lives. Moreover, we have properly addressed longstanding issues and various challenges arising from the development of national parks. We have enabled local residents to gain tangible benefits while participating in ecological conservation, nature education, and ecotourism development to increase their recognition and sense of belonging in the national parks.

Fifth, we are actively building the world's largest national parks system. As the journalist mentioned, General Secretary Xi said at the 2022 World Economic Forum Virtual Session that China is now putting the world's largest national parks system in place, setting the course for developing national parks. We are formulating a plan for the spatial layout of national parks as part of our efforts to turn the blueprint drawn up by General Secretary Xi into reality. The plan is being formulated with an aim of building the world's largest national parks system with the most diverse ecological and geographical features and the highest value for conservation. We will make a detailed introduction when it is released to the public soon. 

Developing national parks is of vital importance to a nation. What we are doing today will benefit generations to come. This endeavor requires sustained effort and, more importantly, the support of society as a whole. Let's work together to develop our national parks so that our future generations have these precious natural assets, and contribute to building a modern country characterized by harmonious coexistence between man and nature. Thank you.

Shou Xiaoli:

Thank you to all the speakers and friends from the media. Today's press conference is concluded. Goodbye.

Translated and edited by Liu Jianing, Zhang Junmian, Xu Xiaoxuan, Liu Sitong, Zhou Jing, Zhang Rui, Yan Bin, Huang Shan, Yan Xiaoqing, Li Huiru, Qin Qi, Wang Wei, He Shan, Zhang Liying, Ma Yujia, Yang Xi, Wang Qian, Wang Yiming, Yuan Fang, Xu Kailin, David Ball, Jay Birbeck, and Tom Arnstein. In case of any discrepancy between the English and Chinese texts, the Chinese version is deemed to prevail.

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