Wang Huaichen, vice governor of China's Sichuan Province, on Wednesday pledged further protection of the giant panda habitat.

 

He made the promise at the 30th session of the World Heritage Committee (WHC) after the meeting unanimously agreed to place the Chinese giant panda habitat in southwest Sichuan Province on the World Heritage List.

 

He said the successful inclusion had ushered the protection of the giant panda into the global framework of conservation.

 

The Chinese government will spare no efforts to intensify work to ensure that the giant panda can live and multiply in a good ecological environment.

 

The habitat, which covers an area of 9,245 sq km between Da Duhe and Minjiang in Sichuan province, is regarded as one of the most critical regions for bio-diversity conservation in the world. Its diverse habitats contain many rare and endangered animals and plant species.

 

The July 8-16 session of the WHC has been examining 37 new sites from 30 countries bidding to be included in the World Heritage List. The giant panda habitat was put at the top of the agenda.

 

(Xinhua News Agency July 13, 2006)