Addressing a national meeting on mineral resources management, Tian Fengshan, minister of Land and Resources, said that the survey has revealed that China has rich mineral resources, but the reserves of exploitable and usable mineral resources have dropped significantly.

Tian said that mineral resources owned and controlled by a country constitute a major part of the nation's comprehensive economic strength. Mineral resources also play a strategic role in a country's economic development and an important role in safeguarding national security.

He stressed that it is imperative to acknowledge the serious challenges that China is facing with the rapid development of economic globalization.

(People's Daily January 17, 2002)