Efforts required to meet afforestation targets

China has urged greater afforestation efforts amid the novel coronavirus pneumonia pandemic to ensure afforestation targets are met this year, according to a circular released by the General Office of the State Council.

Promoting afforestation in an active and orderly manner is an important part of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects and realizing the economic and social development goals of the 13th Five-Year Plan. It is also an important measure to boost employment and incomes of the poor and win the battle against poverty, the circular said.

Regions with a low risk of novel coronavirus transmission should speed up afforestation while medium-risk regions should stagger working hours to promote afforestation in a safe and orderly manner.

The circular called for efforts to organize poor farmers to shoulder more local afforestation work in a bid to boost their incomes and help eradicate poverty.

Innovative methods such as posters, video clips, the internet and social messaging should be adopted to encourage public participation in voluntary tree planting and spread afforestation knowledge, it said.

Xinhua contributed to the story.