BEIJING: In advancing the construction of national parks, China aims to balance protection of the parks and their development, according to a draft law submitted for review.
The proposed Law on National Parks was presented during the 11th session of the Standing Committee of the 14th National People’s Congress on Tuesday, marking the first legislation at the national level for the parks.
During his presentation to the Standing Committee, Guan Zhiou, head of the National Forestry and Grassland Administration, noted that China is constructing the world’s largest national park system.
The country initiated a pilot program for the national park system in 2015, officially establishing the first batch of five national parks in 2021. In 2022, 49 potential sites for the parks were identified.
However, the parks have faced a series of challenges in terms of their development, and there is no specific national legislation covering them, Guan said.
“As a new and critical type of natural protected area, the legal status of national parks is unclear,” he said.
“Issues such as the lack of a legal basis for planning, establishment, protection, management and supervision have emerged as urgent problems that need to be addressed to facilitate national park construction,” he said.
The formulation of the law has been included in this year’s legislative work plans for the Standing Committee of the NPC and the State Council. –The Daily Mail-China Daily news exchange item
