China will strive to enhance its capacity for environmental monitoring through adding investment in facilities and staff, according to the State Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA).

Two billion yuan (241 million US dollars) are expected to be invested in the next three years to set up national surveillance networks, which will keep close watch on air and water pollution and ecological environment.

Another 2 billion yuan was spent between 1998 and 2002 to improve environmental monitoring, almost twice what was invested during the 25 years prior to 1997, SEPA said.

With the new funds, by 2005, improved networks will be able to monitor the air quality of 259 major cities, the water quality of the 10 biggest rivers and coastal seas, and the leading pollution-causing enterprises across the country.

SEPA officials said accurate and detailed information provided by the environmental surveillance systems could effectively assist the control and treatment of environmental pollution and the creation of environment-related policies.

China has set a goal that by the year 2005, total pollution emissions will have been reduced by 10 percent from the year 2000 level.

(Xinhua News Agency November 5, 2002)