China plans to improve its laws and management over environmental protection and curb the deterioration of ecological environment during 2001-2005.

Sources with the State Environmental Protection Administration said that China also plans to turn a number of cities into prosperous and clean areas with sustainable ecological environment.

According to a draft plan of China's environmental protection program for the five-year period, the quality of water in the country's five major rivers -- the Yangtze, Yellow, Huaihe, Haihe and Liaohe rivers -- and three polluted lakes of Taihu, Dianchi and Chaohu, will be greatly improved.

By 2005, the country's emission of sulfur dioxide will be cut by 10 percent from the level in 2000.

The quality of air and water in Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, Chongqing, and in open coastal cities, cities listed as key tourist attractions or special economic zones, and provincial capital cities to the south of the Yangtze River, should be up to State requirement Level 2 and Level 4, or fairly good quality.

During the five years, the country's forest coverage rate will be increased to 19 percent from the current 14 percent, and trees will be planted over 12 million ha of land.

Efforts will be made to protect the ecological environment in areas around the sources of China's longest rivers, the Yangtze and Yellow rivers, which have been suffering from serious water and soil erosion due to land degradation and deforestation.