China's Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE) on Saturday released the seventh list of ecological civilization demonstration zones, highlighting efforts to promote ecological conservation and green transition.

A total of 104 places including Beijing's Chaoyang District and Hubei's Yidu City were listed as ecological civilization demonstration zones during the China Ecological Civilization Forum, which opened Saturday in Jinan, east China's Shandong Province.

Meanwhile, 53 places, including Qianxi County in north China's Hebei Province and Lixia District in Jinan, were named as innovation bases for practicing the principle that "lush mountains and lucid waters are invaluable assets."

"The construction of ecological civilization demonstration zones is mainly aimed at setting a model for the building of a Beautiful China. We have over 40 indicators in order to push local governments to improve ecological environment comprehensively while speeding up the green transition of economic development at local level. By guiding them to realize the value of eco-environmental products based on their own conditions and resources including ecological environmental resources, we hope to boost the comprehensive economic and social development there," said Wang Zhibin, director of the MEE's Department of Nature and Ecology Conservation.

Since 2017, the MEE has designated 572 ecological civilization demonstration zones and 240 innovation bases for practicing the principle that "lush mountains and lucid waters are invaluable assets."

(Cover image via CFP)