[CND, 11/22/97] A series of pollution control and environmental protection
projects will start in China by the end of 2000, and the total funding will
top 180 billion yuan (21.6 billion US dollars), AFP quoted a Xinhua report.
The state environmental protection plan was revealed at "97 China Environ-
mental Forum," the first top-level international forum of its kind held in
China. The extensive funding will cover 1,600 environmental projects,
including controlling water pollution along the Huaihe, Liaohe and Haihe
rivers, as well as lakes like Dianchi, Chaohu and Taihu, according to XIE
Zhehua, director of the State Bureau of Environmental Protection. Xie added
that funds for environmental infrastructure projects will be collected by
the local governments, while the central government will provide loans and
introduce foreign investment. (Jim YU, Guochen WAN)