China's economic, social progress in 2023: Resources, environment and emergency management

The year 2023 was the first year to fully implement the guiding principles of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China and a year for economic recovery and development following three years of COVID-19 prevention and control. China has taken solid strides in building a modern socialist country in all respects.

The following facts offer a glimpse into what the country has achieved in resources management, environment and emergency management in 2023.

- The total stock of water resources in 2023 was 2,478.0 billion cubic meters.

- In 2023, the total area of afforestation reached 4.00 million hectares, of which 1.33 million hectares were afforested by manpower.

- The land area improved by grass plantation was 4.38 million hectares. By the end of 2023, there were 5 national parks. A total of 63,000 square kilometers of land have been saved from soil erosion.

- The area of offshore oceanic water that met the national quality standard Grade I and II accounted for 85.0 percent; that met Grade III standard 4.5 percent; and water of Grade IV or inferior quality 10.5 percent.

- Of the 326 cities subject to urban regional daytime acoustic environment monitoring, 5.8 percent enjoyed excellent environment, 69.3 percent had good environment, 23.9 percent had average environment, 0.9 percent had relatively poor environment and no city had poor environment in 2023.

Source: National Bureau of Statistics of China