At a work meeting of the State Council today, Premier Zhu Rongji heard the report on the project by the Ministry of Water Resources and the Xinjiang government.

The management project is vital to restore green corridor in south Xinjiang and maintain sustainable social and economic development in the region, the meeting said.

The Tarim is the largest continental river in the country. Its valley covers 1.02 million square km of south Xinjiang and a population of 8.26 million, accounting for 61 percent and 47 percent of Xinjiang respectively.

The valley is also an important cotton and petrochemical base of the country.

Dry weather and unreasonable use of water and land resources led to unfettered worsening of fragile eco-system in the valley, with stream and lakes drying, woods dying and desertification enlarging.

The deteriorated eco-system restricts Xinjiang's social and economic development, and also posed threat to environment of larger region of northwest China.

On the basis of suggestions and reasoning of experts from the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering, the management project was put forward.

From last May to February this year, local authorities diverted, on a trial basis, 327 million cubic meter water of the Bosten Lake to the river through a 215-km-long channel which was previously dry.

After the whole project taken into effect, natural vegetation in the valley will be improved in an area of 1.3 million hectares and about 350 million cubic water will flow into the Taitema Lake in the lower reach of the river, according to the project.

The premier hoped that the project will be completed in 2005, when the eco-system in the valley is expected to be basically restored.

The government of the autonomous region and the Ministry of Water Resources are doing preparation work so as to start the project as soon as possible, sources said.

(Xinhua 03/02/2001)