A senior Chinese official says China's forestry industry is entering in a fast growth phase.   

Deputy Director of the State Forestry Bureau, Zhu Lieke, says after more than five decades' efforts, China's forestry coverage percentage has increased from 9 to 16 percent.

He says Chinese artificial forestation acreage ranks first across the world, and forestry resources are being well protected and developed.

He notes the next goals are to raise the country's forestry coverage rate to 19 percent by 2010 and better control ecological deterioration.

(CRI March 28, 2004)