Qinghai-Tibet Plateau better protected by law

The fragile environment of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau will receive better legal protection, with the regional legislative body announcing the implementation of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau Ecological Protection Law starting on Sept 1.

The Law on the Ecological Protection of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau was adopted at the second session of the 14th Standing Committee of the National People's Congress on April 26.

"The implementation of the law for Qinghai-Tibet Plateau ecological protection covers the ecological protection of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and national ecological security, as well as the long-term development of the Chinese nation and the well-being of future generations," Liu Guangxu, secretary-general of the standing committee of the regional people's congress, was quoted as saying by Tibet Daily.

"As the main body of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, Tibet occupies an important position, plays a significant role, and undertakes a significant mission in implementing the law," said Liu.

In order to keep up with the pace of national legislation and ensure the implementation of laws, the standing committee of the 12th People's Congress of the Tibet Autonomous Region announced that it would implement the decision on Sept 1.

According to the regional arrangement, it has made strict provisions for the implementation of the new law from the perspectives of system governance, legislative integration, strict law enforcement, legal supervision and judicial protection.

Wu Xiaomin, an expert from the Shaanxi Institute of Zoology and an expert in Tibetan antelope protection on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, approves of the new law.

"Hailed as the 'Roof of the World', the 'Water Tower of Asia' and the 'The Third Pole of the Earth', the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is an important ecological barrier that matters to the survival and long-term development of the nation, and protecting the ecological environment of the plateau is a key agenda of the country," said Wu.

"This is the first time that China has implemented a specialized law at the national level to legislate and regulate ecological protection on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau," said Wu.

In addition, Tibet prosecutors have strengthened protection for the plateau to strike at environmental and resource crimes.

Kelsang Wangmo, spokesperson from the regional procuratorate, said that since 2021, it has accepted and reviewed 53 cases involving 114 people for ecological environment and resource destruction, and has approved the arrests in 32 cases involving 73 people.