Ministry steps in to protect Baiyangdian wetlands

China's top environmental protection authority has called for the suspension of all illegal development projects at North China's largest freshwater wetland and that the area be restored.

The Ministry of Environmental Protection called on the Baoding, Hebei province, city government to take measures to protect the Baiyangdian Nature Reserve and that the environmental damage be reversed by the end of June, the ministry said on its website on Friday.

Baoding should strictly evaluate all projects that have been approved, the statement said. Unapproved projects that are under construction can gain approval only when they comply with the overall wetland protection and development planning - all others must be removed for restoration, the statement said.