The State Council has passed the scheme to expand the planned state-level Motuo natural reserve zone and rename it the State Natural Reserve Zone of Yarlung Zangbo Grand Valley, the State Environmental Protection Administration said yesterday.

The administration also said when the project completes, the zone will be 910,000 hectares in area, including the 60,000 hectares of the original Motuo, reported the CCTV.com.

The Yarlung Zangbo Grand Valley, 504.6 kilometers at length and 6,009 meters at the deepest, is located in the southeast Tibet. It is said the world-wide no.1 valley after a joint inspection in 1994, by China's scientists and journalists.

(Eastday.com 04/03/2001)