"This is a huge mission for us to protect the environment," said Wang Dehui, deputy director of the Nature and Biology Conservation Department of the State Environmental Protection Administration.

Wang said his administration has adopted "effective" measures to prevent and control the invasion of alien species.

"First, we are strengthening the drafting of laws and regulations in this regard," Wang told a press conference held by his administration to mark International Biodiversity Day, which falls today.

Wang said a joint effort has been undertaken with other authorities, including the General Administration for Quality Supervision and Inspection and Quarantine, the State Forestry Administration, the Ministry of Agriculture and the General Administration of Customs.

Wang said alien invasive species has become one of the major factors endangering China's biodiversity and biological environment.

Annual economic losses caused by invasive species - including ragweed, Mikania micrantha and hyacinth - reached 57.4 billion yuan (US$6.9 billion), according to Wang's administration. They are a problem because many of them destroy native species.

It is reported that similar annual economic losses have reached US$150 billion in the United States, US$130 billion in India and US$80 billion in South Africa.

Research has been put at the top of the agenda to strengthen the country's supervision and management capacity in tackling alien invasive species, said Wang.

Entry-exit inspection and quarantine sources said these organizations should do more to prevent the invasion of alien species.

China's present quarantine system, according to the sources, prevents certain kinds of species entering the country but gives no consideration to other alien species that would endanger the environment.

According to the State Environmental Protection Administration, China has accomplished a lot in protecting its biological diversity since it approved the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity in November 1992.

China has established close and regular contact with international and governmental environmental organizations, Wang said.

Statistics from Wang's administration indicate that the Global Environment Fund - an international fund-management partnership based in Washington DC - has already donated over US$23 million to help China protect its biodiversity. The World Bank has provided a total of US$260 million in loans for this endeavor.

Many projects sponsored by the above-mentioned organizations and by foreign countries have improved the public awareness of environmental protection in China, Wang said.

(China Daily May 22, 2002)