China has vowed to prevent and control a loss of biodiversity caused by the introduction of alien species into the country.
"The State Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA) will adopt effective measures to prevent and control the invasion of alien species.
"We will work with other authorities, including the General Administration for Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine, the State Forestry Administration, the Ministry of Agriculture and the General Administration of Customs," said Wang Dehui, deputy director of the nature and biology conservation department of SEPA.
Wang made the remarks at the recent two-day International Workshop on Biodiversity and Management for Alien Invasive Species in Zhuhai, South China's Guangdong Province.
Organized by SEPA and attended by nearly 70 experts from home and abroad, the workshop marked International Biodiversity Day, which fell on May 22.
"Alien invasive species are becoming one of the major factors endangering China's biodiversity and biological environment," said Wang.
Annual economic losses caused by invasive species, including ragweed, mikania micrantha and hyacinth, reached 57.4 billion yuan (US$6.9 billion), according to SEPA. They are a problem because many of them destroy native species.
It is reported that similar annual economic losses in the United States, India and South Africa have reached US$150 billion, US$130 billion and US$80 billion. To strengthen the country's supervision and management capacity, research has topped the agenda to tackle alien invasive species, said Wang. He also said China needs to perfect policies and a legal system to protect biodiversity and sustainable development.
"We should also attach great importance to the protection of biodiversity in the western development campaign," Wang said. Entry-exit inspection and quarantine departments should do more to prevent the invasion of alien species, said Fan Xiaohong, a researcher with the State General Administration for Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine.
China's present quarantine system, according to Fan, prevents certain kinds of species entering the country, but gives no consideration to alien species which endanger the environment.
(China Daily 06/07/2001)
