Chinese Forests at Risk Despite Logging Ban

A third of China's forests are under threat despite the Communist Party announcing a ban on commercial logging in natural forest, activists said Wednesday.

Vast swathes of woodlands have been destroyed during China's decades-long economic boom, but environmental concerns are rising up the agenda and the measure was included in guidelines the ruling party issued for the country's next five-year plan.

Even so the pledge "does not mean the natural forest in the country is safe", Greenpeace said in a statement.

Current regulations allow some natural forests to be designated as "low quality", and therefore eligible for clearance before being replanted, it said.

There have been several cases of loggers exploiting the loophole to fell trees for profit, the organisation said previously.

"If the loophole is not fixed, 1/3 of China's natural forest will still face the risk of being cleared, even after the commercial logging being totally stopped by 2017."

The Communist Party document issued this week did not give a date for the prohibition, but state media have previously quoted senior forestry officials saying it would be introduced by 2017.