Draft law mulled to protect sea islands

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-06-22 19:07

BEIJING: China's top legislature Monday began to discuss a draft law that is aimed to step up ecological conservation and environmental protection of the country's offshore islands.

The draft, submitted to the ninth session of the Standing Committee of the 11th National People's Congress (NPC) for its first reading, proposes that national and local governments should make plans to guide the protection and the development of inhabited and uninhabited islands.

The plans should give details on the establishment of oceanic nature reserves and special protection zones on and around islands, as well as guidelines for utilization of uninhabited islands.

All construction projects that are contradictory to ecological conservation purposes will be banned, and vegetation and indigenous species will be strictly protected, according to the draft.

All development projects on inhabited islands will be subjected to strict environmental impact assessments. Construction and tourism activities on uninhabited islands will be prohibited unless they are officially approved.

The State Oceanic Administration and its branches would be responsible for inspecting work concerning island protection, according to the draft.