The planting of forest belts in northeast, north and northwest China should be strengthened and enhanced, said Yao Aixing, a CPPCC delegate and the vice president of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, during the second session of the 12th CPPCC National Committee.

“The Three North project was launched in 1978. It is the largest ecological project in the world. It has had ecological, social and economic benefits and has promoted ecological development across the nation,” said Yao. “However, those areas are still ecologically vulnerable and need more ecological development.”

Until now, the forests in the project total 30 million hectares, covering 590 counties in 13 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities. Over a long period, the fact that the subsidies just covered planting rather than nurturing and administration harmed the project, according to Yao.

Yao proposed that the project construction funds appropriated by the state could be categorized based on forestation patterns and administration and scientific research funds should also be taken into consideration.

Mature forests that were planted in the early period could be cut now or they would lose value and the diseases from insects would increase, Yao suggested. In addition, defective forests should be nurtured with special funds and be administered in a scientific way, he said.