Xi: Natural resources must be safeguarded

Restricting the exploitation of natural resources in the ecology-fragile Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau is good for economic development, President Xi Jinping said on Tuesday during an inspection tour.

Protecting the ecological environment of the Sanjiangyuan area, known as "China's water tower", is vital for the nation's development, Xi said.

The ecological system is fragile in Qinghai, especially in the Sanjiangyuan area, where the headwaters of the Yangtze, Yellow and Lancang (known as the Mekong outside China) rivers are located.