Govt prioritizes greener Yangtze

China has made environmental protection and restoration a top priority in its development plan for the Yangtze River economic belt, a senior official said on Sunday while discussing the national plan to boost the economy along China's longest river.

The development of the economic belt will follow a green path, with the strictest environmental protection and water resources management measures, according to an official with the leading group of the Yangtze River economic belt development.

The official said China aimed to markedly improve the environment of the economic belt by 2020, with over 75 percent of the region's water meeting Grade III standard or above and forest coverage reaching 43 percent.

China classifies water quality into six levels, from level I, which is suitable for drinking after minimal treatment, to level VI, which is severely contaminated.

By 2030, the region's aquatic environment and ecosystem will be greatly improved, the official said.

Environmental protection and green development are "of paramount importance" in the development of the economic belt, which should not be used as an excuse to kick off a new round of unfettered construction, said the official.

Limits will be put on water and environmental pollution, the official said, which will clearly define acceptable levels of pollutants.

To better protect the environment, administrative boundaries must be removed and the market be given a bigger role, the official said.

A "negative list" will be established in the economic belt, banning certain industries from the region.

A cross-regional, inter-department emergency response system will be set up to handle environmental incidents, while compensation will be given to encourage local governments to preserve the environment.