China says the country's capital Beijing has fulfilled ahead of schedule its environmental commitment made in the city's report to bid for the Olympics over 7 years ago. CRI's Zheng Chenguang reports.

Reporter:

Official statistics from China's forestry department show that the city's urban green coverage rate has reached above 40%.


The city's residents have enjoyed nearly 250 days' of blue skies in a whole year.

In and around Beijing's Olympic venues and facilities, the city has planned and carried out over 100 green projects.


Amongst them, the Olympic Forest Park, with an area of 680 hectares, boasts the biggest land occupancy of all green land in the city.

Tang Tong is the administrator of the park.

"The park has a total of 530 thousand arboreal plants within the park, which is a big number for all parks. In terms of its function to improve the surrounding environment, the park can absorb a total of 7200 tons of carbon dioxide and 32 tons of sulphur dioxide as well as generates 5400 tons of oxygen."

In other parts of the city, green projects have been customized to the geographical features of different areas.

The municipal government has required that every district in Beijing should build at least one large green land in one year.


The city has also turned 95% of the city's suburban mountainous areas into green forests.

Dong Ruilong, a senior official in charge of the city's greening work, says Beijing has accomplished its set goals in its run-up to the Olympic Games in August.

"Up until 2007, the urban green coverage rate has reached 43%, 3% higher of its promised percentage. The forest coverage in the city's mountainous areas has reached 70%. The city has also established 20 natural protection zones. All these have shown that Beijing has lived up to its promise in its bid for the Olympics. "

The official also says Beijing has made great efforts to prevent desertification, which has remarkably reduced the occurrence of sand storms.

Zheng Chenguang, CRI news.