China has completed more than 800,000 rural drinking water projects in recent years, solving difficulties and insecurity in this regard for 67 million rural residents, says a white paper entitled Environmental Protection in China (1996-2005) issued on Monday.

The Chinese government has launched campaigns to build towns and townships with a beautiful environment and ecologically advanced villages in recent years, pushing forward comprehensive control of the rural environment, according to the white paper released by the Information Office of the State Council of China.

China is concentrating on the demonstration of comprehensive control of pollution from livestock, poultry and fish breeding, and non-point pollution in Taihu, Dianchi and Chaohu lakes, as well as in the Yangtze, Zhujiang and Yellow river deltas, the white paper says.

Some provinces and municipalities have beefed up control of the village environment and improved village infrastructure, and made progress in treating rural sewage and waste and controlling agricultural non-point pollution, according to the white paper.
The government has, as well, started the investigation of soil pollution and demonstration of pollution control throughout the country, and set up a system of testing and controlling the security of agricultural products, the white paper says.

It also strengthened the environmental security control of pesticides and chemical fertilizer, popularized high-efficiency, low-toxicity and low-residue pesticides, and prohibited the use of high-toxic and high-residual pesticides in the production of vegetables, fruits, grain, tea and Chinese medicinal herbs, the white paper adds.

The government also prevented non-point pollution brought about by irrational use of chemical fertilizer, pesticides, farm-use plastic sheeting and wastewater irrigation, so as to ensure the security of agricultural products, according to the white paper.

China, at the same time, encouraged the development of eco-agricultural projects that closely integrates breeding industry with crop farming, the white paper says.

(Xinhua News Agency June 6, 2006)