“We will stage a number of festivities themed on water as well as trade talks and seminars during the event,” said Sun Jingmiao, the county magistrate.

As its name indicates, the festivities fall into four categories including water culture, water economy, water tourism and aquatic sports.

Well-known for its pristine water and picturesque scenery, the Thousand-Islet Lake, composed of 1,078 islands, has long been a popular tourism attraction. It witnessed an influx of 3.2 million tourists from home and abroad in 2000, including 45,000 foreign visitors.

A 90-minute ride from Hangzhou, the Thousand-Islet Lake is the best preserved area of the province, and the festival will address further conversation efforts.

A seminar on protection and exploitation of water resources will be held during the festival, and special sessions will be devoted to discussing ways to protect the ecological environment of the lake.

Forest covers nearly 93 percent of the lake area, which is home to more than 1,800 varieties of plants and 2,100 wild animals. With an average depth of 34 meters, its water transparency reaches seven to 12 meters.

In past years, the local government has spared no effort in protecting the lake and its surrounding area. “We will put emphasis on developing eco-agriculture and tourism in the coming years,” Sun said.

(China Daily 09/07/2001)