Recently, China has received US $3 billion to support its forthcoming Cross-Century Green Project - the biggest contributors being the World Rank, the Asian Development Bank and Japan. This was stated by Xia Kunbao, director, International Cooperation of the National Environmental Protection Agency (NEPA).

The country is proposing drastic measures to curb Its environmental deterioration by AD 2010, informed Qu Geping, former NEPA director and China's most famous environmentalist, The first part of the plan envisages 1,000 projects concerning water control and water and solid waste pollution.

NEPA figures show that more than 70 per cent of the pollutants In China come from industry. In, 1996, US $880 million will be spent from the Overseas Economic Cooperation Fund of Japan for nine of the Cross- Century Green Project plans concerning sewage treatment. These will also deal with air pollution which is a thre, at to Japan's environment. To complete these nine projects, an additional US $1.64 bilion will be required.

"The goal of an end to the environmental deterioration by AD 2010 can only be achieved if necessary caution is taken in the nation's rapid development,' said Qu Geping. now chairperson of the National People's Congress Environmental and Resources Protection Committee, in an interview with the China Daily.

China wants to raise the share of its environmental investments from the present 0.7 to I.S per cent -of its GDP by AD 2000. The, People's Congress is considering 15 environmental protection bill's to be proposed to the government.