Guangzhou, capital of south China's Guangdong Province, has hugely expanded green areas in recent years to beautify the city and improve the urban environment, says an environment expert.

Li Wenhua, a Chinese engineering academician, told a seminar on Guangzhou's urban planning achievements that the city planted 1,735 hectares of trees, grass and flowers from 2000 to 2002, bringing the total green acreage to 5,606 hectares, an average of 9.59 square meters for every resident.

Guangzhou also established 43 new parks during the three years, bringing the total urban green areas to 108,100 hectares.

As a result, Guangzhou enjoyed excellent or fairly good air quality for 90 percent of days in the three years. The city has brought dust pollution under control and 81 percent of areas are free from noise pollution.

Discharge of main pollutants like sewage and exhaust gas have been kept within limits, and 95 percent of water resources offer potable water.

(Xinhua News Agency November 21, 2003)