A lack of forest coverage, especially in western China, has gravely endangered the nation's environment, says a senior forestry official.

China has only about 16.55 percent of forest coverage, and latest statistics from the State Forest Administration (SFA) showed that the forest coverage in the 11 western provinces and autonomous regions is just 9.06 percent, about a third of that in east China.

The situation is worse in the five provinces and autonomous regions in northwest China, where there is only 3.34 percent forest coverage.

"Environmental degradation is continuing, resulting in severe natural disasters such as floods, droughts and desertification," said SFA deputy-director Lei Jiafu at a meeting in Penglai city in east China's Shandong Province.

Desertification had affected 400 million people in China and the trend was continuing, he said.

Meanwhile, 3.56 million square kilometers, or one third of the country's total land area, suffers serious erosion.

Lei said the forestry sector in China faced severe challenges as the country's demand for timber was increasing.

(Xinhua News Agency October 13, 2003)