Qingdao plans to promote ecological construction and environmental protection in 2010, striving to create a true eco-city.

The Qingdao Garden Bureau said the city is striving to add new green areas of more than 78 hectares in 2010. The rate of green coverage will achieve 45% of the city. Preparations for the 2014 World Horticultural Exposition will be started.

Starting this year, Qingdao will annually plant 8,667 hectares in forests. In five years, the city's forest will cover an area of more than 33 million hectares.

Qingdao also will strengthen water pollution control, air pollution prevention and environmental supervision of 100 key enterprises.

In 2009, Qingdao built a new coastal protection forest of 13,000 hectares and a farmland forest of 7,173 hectares.

By Dai Yan (China Daily Shandong Bureau)

Editor: Li Jing