Xi: Make homeland green

　 President Xi Jinping pitches in at a tree planting activity in Beijing's Tongzhou district on Monday. He said such efforts will greatly benefit future generations. XIE HUANCHI / XINHUA

Quantity, quality should be ensured, general secretary says as he joins effort

Both quantity and quality should be ensured as China unfolds its effort to make the homeland greener, President Xi Jinping said on Monday as he took part in a voluntary tree planting event in Beijing.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, has called on top officials at different levels to lead public efforts in planting trees voluntarily and cherishing the natural environment as much as their lives.

China has set the goal of increasing areas covered by forest to average world levels around the middle of this century.

The homeland greening effort also aims to increase its percentage of forest cover to about 23 percent in 2020 and 26 percent in 2035.

As he shoveled soil alongside residents of Beijing's Tongzhou district, Xi said planting trees is one of the nation's great traditions.