China secures arable land, advances ecological programs

China has firmly secured its red line of 1.8 billion mu (120 million hectares) of arable land, ensuring stable grain harvests, Minister of Natural Resources Guan Zhiou said on Tuesday.

Speaking after the closing meeting of the third session of the 14th National People's Congress, Guan said efforts to protect farmland include stricter supervision, optimizing land use, and increasing the proportion of high-quality arable land. Conservation measures are also being integrated with rural ecological management to improve the countryside, he said.

Regarding the Three-North Shelterbelt Forest Program, Guan said the initiative has restored more than 76 million mu (5.07 million hectares) of land, enhancing ecological security while yielding economic and social benefits.

One example is photovoltaic sand control, which generates power while allowing crops to be grown beneath the panels, he said.

In Inner Mongolia, authorities have distributed 1.5 billion yuan ($207.36 million) in wages for desertification control efforts, creating jobs and boosting incomes for more than 200,000 people, Guan said.