China will push forward the reform of its forestry system, which involves land collectively owned by local governments and farmers, to facilitate development, environment protection and provide more benefits to farmers.

Vice-Premier Hui Liangyu made the remarks while addressing a national meeting on the reform of the collectively owned forestry system held in east China's Jiangxi Province.

Hui made an inspection tour of Jiangxi from Wednesday to Friday, after which he said that forestry reform there had made remarkable progress.

The reform plans aim to transfer more operational rights from local governments and forestry administrations to farmers.

Farmers take on roles as forestry operators and sign long-term operating contracts with the government. Ownership of the forests remains with the government.

Hui said that giving farmers more operation rights would get them more involved in the planting and maintenance of trees.

The trial reforms conducted in southeastern Fujian and eastern Jiangxi provinces in recent years have spurred farmers' commitment to forestry operations and increased their incomes.

Statistics show that the plantation areas doubled in Fujian in the year following the reform. Similarly, Jiangxi farmers' incomes from forestry increased by 41 percent year-on-year in 2005.

To date, the government has conducted test reforms in Fujian, Jiangxi and Liaoning provinces, involving about 15 million hectares of forest.

A considerable number of China's farmers live in mountainous areas and depend on forestry for their livelihood. Many of them are amongst the poorest people in China.

The environment should not be negatively impacted by the reform, and relevant support policies in relation to taxation, finance and insurance should be improved, Hui added.

(Xinhua News Agency August 28, 2006)