Ministry acts to prevent encroachment on nature reserves

China's top environmental watchdog warned eight local governments on Wednesday about the invasion and destruction of nature reserves by illegal construction projects and told them not to seek economic growth at the expense of the reserves.

The Ministry of Ecology and Environment said there are still many illegal construction projects associated with mining, tourism, aquaculture and real estate in seven nature reserves that have caused great damage to the reserves and impaired their ecological functions.

Local Party committees and governments failed to fulfill their responsibility of supervision and management, and there were also violations of regulations, false reporting and perfunctory rectification. Illegal construction in nature reserves has not been effectively curbed, the ministry said.