Page 164 - 2019 White Paper on the Business Environment in China
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9 White Paper on the Business Environment in China
later. By 2018 more than 28 million hectares of land have Works Cited
been restored, making it the largest reforestation project
ever. The primary thrust of the program is a monetary “Agriculture in China IV.” Ministry of Agriculture and
reward to farmers to plant trees along the sloping Rural Affairs, PRC, 1 Mar. 2017, english.agri.gov.cn/
landscape. China has spent more than US$50 billion cash overview/201703/t20170301_247344.htm.
incentives to 124 million farmers in 25 provinces. The
latest round of the CCFP program was launched in 2014 AgWeb. “Stine Enters Chinese Seed Market.” AgWeb,
with an aim to convert 2.8 million hectares of sloping and Farm Journal Media, 26 Dec. 2017, www.agweb.com/
deserted cropland to either forest or grasslands by 2020. article/stine-enters-chinese-seed-market/.
Although the program was originally created to improve
environmental restoration, it was later expanded to Asia Times. “China Is Re-Assigning 60,000 Troops – to
target poverty alleviation. It has become one of China’s Plant Trees.” Asia Times, Asia Times Holdings Limited, 7
largest rural development programs (Dayne). Feb. 2018, www.atimes.com/article/china-re-assigning-
60000-troops-plant-trees//.
China even used the military in 2018 to plant new
forests covering an area of 84,000 square kilometers, Bloomberg. “Farming the World: China’s Epic Race
roughly the size of Ireland. The aim is to increase forest to Avoid a Food Crisis.” Bloomberg.com, Bloomberg,
coverage to 23 percent of the country’s total landmass by 21 May 2017, www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2017-
the end of the decade, up 2 percent from the 2017. (Asia feeding-china/.
Times). At a glance, the Grain for Green Program seems to
be a success, but a closer look revealed that it takes more Bosu, Rabi Sankar. “‘No. 1 Central Document’ Signals
than the government may have anticipated to make a Rural China’s Importance.” China.org.cn, China.org.cn,
forest. A study published by Biological Conservation in 26 Feb. 2018, www.china.org.cn/opinion/2018-02/26/
May 2018 may have poured cold water on the whole content_50596418.htm.
Chinese concept of reforestation. The study, conducted
by scientist at institutions in the US, UK, and China reveals CCM.“Outlook for Some of China’s Major Crops in 2018
that households joined the program largely based on how 12-18-2017.”CCM, CCM Data & Business Intelligence, 2018,
much money they stood to make through government www.cnchemicals.com/Press/90241-Outlook%20for%20
incentives aimed at encouraging the planting of certain some%20of%20China%E2%80%99s%20major%20
types of trees—at times even cutting down actual forest crops%20in%202018.html.
to do so. The fault lies in the failure of these policies to
differentiate monoculture tree cover from real forest, Cheong, Danson. “China Sets up New Ministries to
according to the researchers (Erickson-Davis). Oversee Environment, Natural Resources.” The Straits
Times, Singapore Press Holdings Ltd, 13 Mar. 2018, www.
Furthermore, not all trees are planted simply for straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/china-sets-up-new-
environmental purposes. According to the NFGA, the ministries-to-oversee-environment-natural-resources.
total output value of China’s forestry industry exceeded
7.1 trillion yuan (US$1.1 trillion) in 2017. The output China Daily. “Policies Released on China’s Rural
was only about 134 billion yuan in 1994, less than Vitalization.” English.eastday.com, China Daily, 4 Feb. 2018,
one fiftieth of the latest figure. Trade volume of forest english.eastday.com/China/auto/u1ai8587154.html.
products topped US$150 billion in 2017. Over 52 million
jobs have been created thanks to the forestry industry, China PowerTeam.“How Is China Feeding Its Population
which generates about 20 percent of net income for of 1.4 Billion?” ChinaPower, ChinaPower Project, 27 Oct.
low income population in mountainous areas and has 2017, chinapower.csis.org/china-food-security/.
become a pillar industry in local development. China
is home to 306.7 million hectares of forest, 400 million Cui, Kai, and Sharon P. Shoemaker. “A Look at Food
hectares of grassland, 53.3 million hectares of wetland Security in China.” Nature News, Nature Publishing
and another 53.3 million hectares of governable sand Group, 20 Feb. 2018, www.nature.com/articles/s41538-
land, which constitutes a huge resource potential and 018-0012-x.
market advantage (Yamei).
164
later. By 2018 more than 28 million hectares of land have Works Cited
been restored, making it the largest reforestation project
ever. The primary thrust of the program is a monetary “Agriculture in China IV.” Ministry of Agriculture and
reward to farmers to plant trees along the sloping Rural Affairs, PRC, 1 Mar. 2017, english.agri.gov.cn/
landscape. China has spent more than US$50 billion cash overview/201703/t20170301_247344.htm.
incentives to 124 million farmers in 25 provinces. The
latest round of the CCFP program was launched in 2014 AgWeb. “Stine Enters Chinese Seed Market.” AgWeb,
with an aim to convert 2.8 million hectares of sloping and Farm Journal Media, 26 Dec. 2017, www.agweb.com/
deserted cropland to either forest or grasslands by 2020. article/stine-enters-chinese-seed-market/.
Although the program was originally created to improve
environmental restoration, it was later expanded to Asia Times. “China Is Re-Assigning 60,000 Troops – to
target poverty alleviation. It has become one of China’s Plant Trees.” Asia Times, Asia Times Holdings Limited, 7
largest rural development programs (Dayne). Feb. 2018, www.atimes.com/article/china-re-assigning-
60000-troops-plant-trees//.
China even used the military in 2018 to plant new
forests covering an area of 84,000 square kilometers, Bloomberg. “Farming the World: China’s Epic Race
roughly the size of Ireland. The aim is to increase forest to Avoid a Food Crisis.” Bloomberg.com, Bloomberg,
coverage to 23 percent of the country’s total landmass by 21 May 2017, www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2017-
the end of the decade, up 2 percent from the 2017. (Asia feeding-china/.
Times). At a glance, the Grain for Green Program seems to
be a success, but a closer look revealed that it takes more Bosu, Rabi Sankar. “‘No. 1 Central Document’ Signals
than the government may have anticipated to make a Rural China’s Importance.” China.org.cn, China.org.cn,
forest. A study published by Biological Conservation in 26 Feb. 2018, www.china.org.cn/opinion/2018-02/26/
May 2018 may have poured cold water on the whole content_50596418.htm.
Chinese concept of reforestation. The study, conducted
by scientist at institutions in the US, UK, and China reveals CCM.“Outlook for Some of China’s Major Crops in 2018
that households joined the program largely based on how 12-18-2017.”CCM, CCM Data & Business Intelligence, 2018,
much money they stood to make through government www.cnchemicals.com/Press/90241-Outlook%20for%20
incentives aimed at encouraging the planting of certain some%20of%20China%E2%80%99s%20major%20
types of trees—at times even cutting down actual forest crops%20in%202018.html.
to do so. The fault lies in the failure of these policies to
differentiate monoculture tree cover from real forest, Cheong, Danson. “China Sets up New Ministries to
according to the researchers (Erickson-Davis). Oversee Environment, Natural Resources.” The Straits
Times, Singapore Press Holdings Ltd, 13 Mar. 2018, www.
Furthermore, not all trees are planted simply for straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/china-sets-up-new-
environmental purposes. According to the NFGA, the ministries-to-oversee-environment-natural-resources.
total output value of China’s forestry industry exceeded
7.1 trillion yuan (US$1.1 trillion) in 2017. The output China Daily. “Policies Released on China’s Rural
was only about 134 billion yuan in 1994, less than Vitalization.” English.eastday.com, China Daily, 4 Feb. 2018,
one fiftieth of the latest figure. Trade volume of forest english.eastday.com/China/auto/u1ai8587154.html.
products topped US$150 billion in 2017. Over 52 million
jobs have been created thanks to the forestry industry, China PowerTeam.“How Is China Feeding Its Population
which generates about 20 percent of net income for of 1.4 Billion?” ChinaPower, ChinaPower Project, 27 Oct.
low income population in mountainous areas and has 2017, chinapower.csis.org/china-food-security/.
become a pillar industry in local development. China
is home to 306.7 million hectares of forest, 400 million Cui, Kai, and Sharon P. Shoemaker. “A Look at Food
hectares of grassland, 53.3 million hectares of wetland Security in China.” Nature News, Nature Publishing
and another 53.3 million hectares of governable sand Group, 20 Feb. 2018, www.nature.com/articles/s41538-
land, which constitutes a huge resource potential and 018-0012-x.
market advantage (Yamei).
164
