Xi calls for persistent afforestation efforts

BEIJING - Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday morning attended a tree planting activity and called for multi-generation efforts from people of all ethnic groups to protect forest resources.

Xi and other top leaders, including Premier Li Keqiang as well as Zhang Dejiang, Yu Zhengsheng, Liu Yunshan, Wang Qishan and Zhang Gaoli, visited a tree-planting site near a reservoir in Tuancheng Lake in Beijing's northwest.

The reservoir is expected to play a crucial role in water supply for Beijing and is part of China's massive South-to-North Water Diversion Project that will divert water from the Yangtze River to the dry north.

The reservoir is scheduled for completion within this year and its surrounding area is currently under forestation.

While praising China's achievements in afforestation over the past 60-plus years, Xi noted that forests in the country were far from people's environmental expectations and lacking in both quality and quantity.

"Forest construction is a fundamental issue related to the sustainable development of economic and social development, and every citizen should voluntarily fulfil their tree-planting duty," Xi said.

Xi called on leading officials at various levels to set an example by leading scientific tree-planting activities, expanding forest coverage and boosting ecological functions.